Belarus Headlines May 2 — Volume 1, Issue 8 May 16 May 16 Inside this issue Economics Belarus President Visits Azerbaijan Belarus Finalizes Drafts of Nine Belarus President Visits Azer- Agreements with Jakarta baijan . 1 Belarus Finalizes Agreements Belarusian Indonesia and Belarus have finalized the with Jakarta, , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 President drafts of six new agreements, namely on Alexander visa-free privileges for diplomatic and official Lukashenko passport holders, culture, trade information, Belarusian Petrolium Company made his first sciences and technology, political consulta- to Establish Its Distributor in official visit to tions and legal cooperation, during a meet- Turkey. 1-2 Azerbaijan on ing held in Belarus late last month, the Indo- Wednesday, nesian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. Belarus Gives BeltransGAZ to Russia . 2 bringing together the leaders of two Earlier, in 2004, the two countries also countries seeking to lessen their energy completed the drafts of three agreements, Belarus to Develop Iranian dependence on Russia. Azerbaijani Presi- namely on investment protection, technical dent Ilham Aliev said his country is seek- cooperation protocol and taxation, the min- Oilfield . 2 ing to diversify ways to bring its Caspian istry said. The two countries were expected Sea oil to Western markets and supports to sign all the new two-party agreements Foreign Ministry releases a plan to pump oil across Ukraine and late this year when Belarus President Alex- Report on Arms Trade. 2 into Poland via the Odessa-Brody pipe- ander Lukashenko and Foreign Minister Ser- line, a route that would bypass Russia. gei Martynov visit Indonesia, the ministry Mass Interrogations of "We have given our political support for said. Young Front activists . 3 this project, and now commercial issues It said both the Indonesian and Belarus dele- are being discussed," Aliev said at a news gations to the April 2007 meeting expressed Milinkevich Meets Polish conference with Lukashenko. Belarus bor- confidence that the signing of the nine President. 3 ders Ukraine, and Lukashenko has ex- agreements would enhance mutually benefi- pressed interest receiving oil through the cial relations between the two countries. pipeline. Opposition activists Fined . Aliev held out the prospect of energy 03/05/07 . 3 supplies to Belarus, saying that Belarusian Source: ANTARA news companies were interested in participating Opposition Activists Con- in oil and gas projects in Azerbaijan and Belarusian State Petrochemical gratulate Veterans on Vic- that talks would be held in a bid to flesh Industry Concern Plans to Invest tory Days. 3-4 out cooperation plans. When Aliev visited Money in Establishment of its Dis- Belarus late last year, Lukashenko ex- Belarus Expels Evangelist pressed interest in a share in the develop- tributor in Turkey. Priest. 4 ment of Azerbaijan's Caspian Sea oil and gas resources. The Belaru- City Government Allows Azerbaijan will produce 300 million bar- sian Belnaf- Opposition Congress . 4 rels of oil this year and 350 million barrels takhim plans to invest next year, Aliev said Wednesday. $210,000 in Czech Senators against Bela- In a dig at Russia, which he has accused of the establish- rus’ Membership in HR using energy as a political lever against ment of its Council . 5 him, Lukashenko said he was certain that distributor in cooperation with Azerbaijan "will not Turkey. The money will be provided by the Organizer of Chernobyl Rally prompt any political pressure or political Belarusian Petroleum Trading House, a Arrested. 5 consequences, as often happens with Belnaftakhim subsidiary, according to offi- other countries." cial information sources. Dynko Gets Lorenzo Natali Prize. 02/05/2007 The yet-to-be-established company is ex- . 6 Source: The Associated Press pected to distribute polyester and acrylic PACE Committee on Belarus .. 6 2 Belarus Headlines Economics fibre and cord fabrics in Turkey. Belarus to Develop Iranian Oilfield Belnaftakhim reportedly believes that the establishment National Iranian Oil Company has approved a general plan that of distribution networks abroad will help increase ex- was submitted by Belarus for the joint development of Iran's ports and remove intermediaries from foreign trade, as Jofeyr oilfield. well as conduct a single trade policy in the external A source at Belarusnafta, Belarus's state oil company, made the market. announcement in an interview with the Russian Interfax, the The Belarusian Petroleum Trading House also plans to Iranian Shana news agency reported. set up distribution companies in Lithuania, Germany, The general plan reportedly includes a paragraph about the use the Netherlands and Poland this year. of Belarusian technologies. NIOC and Belarusnafta are to start holding some talks soon on development of the oilfield. Com- 08/05/2007 menting on this joint venture, deputy managing director of Bela- Source: BelaPAN rusnafta in geological affairs Valeri Beskopilni said," Iran has sug- gested a buy-back mode for execution of the project." "Based on the terms of the deal, NIOC, as the owner of the field, will be in charge of drawing up the economic and engineering plan of the Belarus Confirms Beltransgaz to project and the Belarusian company, as the main contractor of the project, will undertake the exploration and production Be Given to Russia by June 1 phase in a specific period of time, which is likely to be eight years", he added. Gazprom” OJSC and The contractor of the project will be selling the crude oil prod- ”Beltransgaz” OJSC are ucts to NIOC in return for receiving a dividend", the official to set up a joint venture noted. Iran and Belarus signed a Memorandum of Understanding by 1 June 2007, First in 2006 for expansion of mutual cooperation in the oil sector Deputy Prime Minister and now Belarus intends to invest in the said field. Jofeyr oilfield Uladzimir Syamashka is located in Iran's southern province of Khuzestan and is ex- reported to the journal- pected to produce some 30,000 barrels per day of crude oil. ists. The joint venture is 10/05/2007 to be set up by 1 June. “Today I had a phone discus- Source: Press TV sion of the latest issues on establishing the joint ven- ture with Aleksei Miller”, V.Syamashka said. He re- marked that if in February the Russian and Belarusian Foreign Ministry Releases National Report on parties had 31 items of discrepancies, yesterday only Export Control, and Military Equipment and 2.5 issues remained. Weaponry Exports in 2006 “Today another problematic item was removed and tomorrow we are going to settle all the remaining The Belarusian foreign ministry on May 8 unveiled a national problems”, V.Syamashka said. He informed that by the report on export control, and military equipment and weap- end of May the parties are to fix the date of signing the onry exports in 2006. The ministry has compiled such reports contract of sale of the ”Beltransgaz” shares. since 2002 based on data from governmental agencies engaged What concerns the schedule of selling 50% of in export control system or foreign trade in products for mili- ”Beltransgaz” shares, as V.Semashka previously re- tary purposes. ported, USD 2.5 billion is to be paid in equal parts over the period of 4 years. “For Gazprom to start possessing 12.5% shares since 1 June 2007 it is to The report contains information about the government's activi- transfer USD 625 billion to the budget of Belarus by ties in 2006 to regulate the import and export of goods and 20 May. After that it will have possessed 12.5% of services for military purposes. In particular, it says that licenses Beltransgaz for a year. Then if Gazprom pays another for foreign trade in such goods were issued to 11 organizations USD 625 billion it will possess 25% of the company, last year. Six of those organizations had never had such licenses etc”, he explained. before. A total of 74 organizations are now licensed to engage in foreign trade in products for military purposes, primarily in Thus, if Gazprom pays a total amount of USD 2.5 bil- products of their own making. As many as 250 licenses for ex- lion by 1 June 2010 it will possess 50 % of the ports and imports were issued during the accounting period. Beltransgaz shares. 10/05/2007 10/05/2007 Source: BelaPAN Source: Charter’97 3 Belarus Headlines Politics Mass Interrogations of Young Front Members by Belarus KGB Young Opposition Activist The Belarus State Security Commit- them in the isolation ward in February Fined $435 tee (KGB) brings another lawsuit this year. against the Young Front. According to the press service of the Dzmitry Fedaruk, a leader of an unreg- It says that in Saligorsk the KGB staff Young Front, the actions of the KGB istered opposition youth group called officers took two youth activists, have resulted in the conclusion that the Malady Front (Young Front), was fined Rigor Astapenka and Syargei regime does not intend to stop repres- 930,000 rubels ($435) on May 3, his Tkachuk, from school to the local sions against the Young Front activists associate, Barys Haretski, told. department for interrogation. Other even after the sound court hearing of A judge of Minsk's Savetski District two activists Maksim Gamitsevich Zmitser Dashkevich's case and the Court found him guilty of organizing an and Zmitzer Yafimovich received coming court hearing of cases of the unsanctioned march during the opposi- subpoenas for the interrogations. Young Front activists Zmitser Fedaruk, tion's Charnobylski Shlyakh (Path of These lawsuits were brought by cap- Baris Garetsky, Nasta Palazhanka, Al- Chernobyl) demonstration on April 26. tain of the regional KGB Zmitser yaksei Yanusheusky and Aleg Korban Svistun who in majority of cases per- who are charged of actions on behalf of The 18-year-old Fedaruk was brought to the court from the district police sonally interrogated the youth activ- the unregistered organization.