2005 press releases

U.S. Embassy Response to Disinformation (September 7, 2005)

A recent series of misleading statements that have appeared in a Minsk-based newspaper and have been broadcast on several state-owned national television outlets indicates a troubling pattern of disinformation. The U.S. Embassy in Minsk is concerned about various unsubstantiated and spurious claims about alleged illegal activities of U.S. Embassy officers during 2000-2001. The aforementioned media outlets have questioned these activities and implied that similar activities are taking place currently.

The Embassy reaffirms its commitment to carrying out its diplomatic activities in a transparent and open manner and in a way that is fully consistent with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

As President Bush and Secretary of State Rice have consistently stated, the Belarusian people deserve no less than the basic right of all free peoples to determine their own future and leadership freely and democratically. The United States does not seek to support any single party or candidate in Belarus but only the democratic process largely through providing observers and training to observers and practitioners of the democratic process. The United States will continue to support a broad range of groups of individuals throughout Belarus whose goal is to promote the development of civil society, foster the growth of independent media, strengthen the social and health sectors, encourage the development of small and medium enterprise, and increase respect for the rule of law and human rights.