2001 press releases

U.S. Statement to OSCE on NGO Activity in Belarus (April 26, 2001)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

We share the concerns conveyed by the Chairman-in-Office in his April 9 letter to Belarusian President Lukashenko.

We take note of the Belarusian Government assurances that you just mentioned that Presidential Decree No. 8 will not apply to the activities of the AMG nor that it is intended to restrict the activities of NGOs in Belarus.

However, these assurances inspire little confidence when, as the AMG points out, the Belarusian Government continues to use its misinterpretation of the word "consultations" to attempt to block important AMG projects that need and must go forward.

Similarly, the local NGO community most directly affected by the decree will derive little comfort from these assurances as registration requirements under the decree will discourage NGO activities.

Since effective implementation of this decree will prevent Belarus from meeting established international criteria for free and fair elections, the best way for Belarus to assure the international community no harm was intended by this decree is to withdraw it.

Mr. Chairman, as the date for presidential elections draws closer, the United States is concerned that Belarus continues to step further away from meeting international criteria for free and fair elections.

Its detention of 50 participants in events organized by opposition groups on April 21 is contrary to its OSCE commitments to respect freedom of expression and assembly and constitutes just one more step in the wrong direction.

We urge Belarus to reverse course by taking steps that convey, in deed and not just in word, its readiness to cooperate with and facilitate the activities of OSCE institutions such as ODIHR and the Free Media Representative, the AMG, and the NGO community so that it can establish conditions for free and fair elections the international community can respect.

Thank you.