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Belarus Headlines Office for a Democratic Belarus Belarus Headlines Issue XII June 29 – July 10, 2007 VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE EU PARLIAMENT DELEGATION FOR RELATIONS WITH BELARUS ALDIS KUSKIS: Belarus not high enough on European agenda Interview with Vice-chairman of - I am an the EU Parliament Aldis Kuskis inde- (series:Face to face with pendent Europe) person Office for a Democratic “Aldis", - says Latvian MEP, and at- Belarus vice-chairman of the Euro- tach great pean Parliament Delegation impor- for relations with Belarus tance to Inside this Aldis Kuskis when he picks freedom. issue up his phone. For him Bela- The high- rusian issues are of keen in- est value terest, his involvement with I would Interview with MEP 1-2 the country goes under the set on the freedom of Brussels and Strasbourg – Aldis Kuskis slogan of the Soviet pioneers: choice. I feel that we as long as I am persona "always ready". He is no pro- should do whatever we can non grata for Belarusian Chavez meets 2 fessional but an expressive, for any country of the authorities, I can’t come to Lukashenko warm-hearted politician; and world to let it be free to visit the country. The nor- his statements are tough make choice. There is no mal way would be for me European campaign- 3 enough to secure him a ban need to travel far with such to have the opportunity to ing of “Za Svabodu” on entering Belarus. an intention, Belarus is our come and learn more about - Mr.Kuskis, what is the direct neighbour; we even the country, to be able to Belarus opposing US 3 had 50 years of common understand it better. If the missile shield season of the year you asso- ciate Belarus with? history. What I need, what I authorities are afraid of Plans of weapons 3 want, what I would like to me, then they fear that I cooperation with Iran - I would like to associate do is to help my friends. could do what? the people of Belarus with 20 church workers 4 spring – they are already I can’t say I discuss Belarus - What is your opinion on arrested awoken, they are active and with my family every day. I the press reports – is energetic. But the country can’t even say I see my European media objective BAJ holds action on 4 itself is still cold and frozen, family every day. But we covering Belarus? And Zavadsky disappear- like a dead, snowy winter. do discuss Belarusian mat- vice versa, is Belarusian ance anniversary This time of the year is risky ters: My wife would ask media impartial writing for spring flowers. I can’t call why we support this or that, about European affairs? ask about the projects, our OSCE PA adopts 5 Alexander Lukashenko Ded involvement. But I am not - There is no 100 percent Kyiv declaration Moroz (traditional Santa impartiality on either side. Claus - Father Frost, - that often at home and try Economic news 5-7 Belarus Headlines) as he is not to talk about political There is different level of Culture News 8-9 of no positive character. But issues. understanding in Europe of one shouldn’t forget the laws what is happening, of the Listen to Bat’ka - Do you have friends in of nature – they are immuta- Belarus? situation in Belarus. It is ble. Spring is bound to set in! great but also quite normal. - Well, I know many peo- Journalists know more - Why do you take such an ple in Belarus and would be about the situation in Bela- interest in what you call Bel- glad to make new friends. rus than about Latvia or arusian winter? Is it more Belarusians are an exciting Portugal that are member professional or personal? nation – bright and tal- counties of EU. For Euro- ented. I met them in Riga, pean journalists news is ISSUE XII BELARUS HEADLINES PAGE 2 Interview with Aldis Kuskis bad news; and since something bad is Transport and Tourism. Among the Chairman of Delegation for relations always happening in Belarus, the me- priorities of the national politics I with Belarus since 2004. dia have professional interest to write understand it as my duty to explain about the country and cover it more the history of Latvia and the Baltic Born in 1965, Riga. 1981-1995 often. But that’s my feeling, I don’t states to the colleagues, condemn the worked part-time as a DJ, 1996-2002 have the statistics. totalitarian nature of held different managing posts at ad- the Soviet commu- vertising agency To analyse the EU coverage in Bela- "Lowe Age", then at nist regime, to do There is still a lot to do rus we need to differentiate between historical research. telecommunication government-controlled papers, which Ukraine is another – Belarusian issue is company "Baltkom". make 90-100 percent, they give a few foreign issue of not yet on the top of the October 2002 – true facts and, for most part, tell lies. mine. agenda of EU March 2004 Member The information on Europe in the of the Parliament of papers that are almost independent is I am not satisfied institutions. the Republic of Lat- more or less correct. Independent me- with the level of via. Since March dia is mostly internet-based. In Bela- attention paid to 2004 Secretary of rus, on the whole, the biggest part of Belarus, its placement on the Euro- International Affairs of the Latvian the free press is in the Internet as it is pean agenda. We do a lot. There more national, conservative party "New difficult to control it there. or less active phases involving strate- Era". Speaks Latvian, English, Rus- gic planning of the projects, their sian. Married, has s son and a daugh- - As a member of European Parlia- drawing-up, preparation, implementa- ter. ment, in your view, could you do tion. There is still a lot to do – Belaru- more for Belarus? Should you do sian issue is not yet on the top of the less? agenda of EU institutions. Prepared by Maryna Rakhlei for - There is no reason to do less, we Aldis Kuskis has been Latvian repre- the Office for a Democratic Belarus always do the utmost. Personally I sentative in the European Parliament 04/07/2007 have different obligations, split into (Group of the European People's priorities. I work at the Committee on Party (Christian Democrats) and the Environment and Committee on European Democrats), Vice- Politics and Society Venezuela's Chavez Meets Lukashenko for One-to-One Talks Venezuelan President Hugo an upturn in trade recently, with Belaru- "We, together with Belarus, are going Chavez arrived in Belarus Friday as sian industry providing the Venezuelan forward with a 'wide front', and we part of a three-country non-aligned army with night vision devices and an have developed this trade in less than a nation trip. agreement for Belarusian energy compa- year, after starting practically from nies to develop a Venezuelan oil field. zero," Lukashenko said. The outspoken Venezuelan leader was in one-on-one talks with Bela- "Our positions are absolutely identical," During his visit to Moscow Chavez told rusian President Aleksander Luka- a beaming Lukashenko told reporters. reporters his country was interested in shenko. "Our relations have now reached the purchasing Russian diesel-electric sub- level of strategic partnership. " marines. He also called for greater co- Chavez had visited Russia's parlia- operation between Venezuela's energy ment - the Duma - earlier in the Lukashenko and Chavez were set to industry, and the Russian fossil fuel day, and met with Russian Presi- chair a joint meeting of Belarusian and giants Gazprom and Lukoil. dent Vladimir Putin on Thursday. Venezuelan delegations later in the eve- ning. The Friday arrival in Minsk was Chavez's second visit to Belarus. Aside from energy industry equipment His schedule included also a subse- and military supplies, goods and ser- quent stop in Iran - like Belarus a vices newly traded between the two country politically isolated from countries include fertilizer, heavy dump 29/06/2007 major Western nations. trucks, lorries, tractors, and agricultural products. Source: Journalo Belarus and Venezuela have seen PAGE 3 BELARUS HEADLINES ISSUE XII Politics and Society Milinkevich's Movement for Freedom to Launch Information Campaign about Assistance that Could be Available under European Union's Neighbourhood Policy The Movement for Freedom led by partnership of Belarus with the family a full participant of the ENP if Minsk former presidential candidate Alyak- of European nations," Mr. Milinke- respected human rights, democracy and sandr Milinkevich on June 30 vich was quoted as saying. "The EU's rule of law. In particular, the EU of- launched a campaign to inform the offers remain highly topical for us. fered assistance in creating new trade public about the assistance that Bela- Propagandists allege all the time that opportunities to boost the Belarusian rus may get under the European we can't rely on the EU because we economy and create more and better job Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). are not welcome in Europe. On the opportunities, improving the quality of contrary, Belarus is welcome in the healthcare and education, improving According to Mr. Milinkevich's press European Union, the EU will wel- transport and energy networks, and the office, the Movement's activists will come democratic changes in our management of environmental prob- pass out pamphlets about what the EU country." lems, as well as reforming the legal and can offer to Belarus and inform people judicial system. about the benefits that the nation could In November 2006, the European Un- get from the rapprochement with the ion released a document specifying 01/07/2007 EU.
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