Is Lukashenka’s regime going to bargain with US on Zeltser’s release?

A representative of the legal advisor’s office of the US Department of State is to arrive to Minsk next week on invitation of the Belarusian side for negotiations on conditions of the US citizen Emanuel Zeltser’s release.

His brother Mark Zeltser has been told about that in the US foreign political agency.

As the BelaPAN has been told by M. Zeltser, on January 22 talks with the Presidential Administration are planned. As said by him, the US Department of State does not have clear vision about possible conditions of the talks. The Belarusian authorities have initially noted that E. Zeltser would be released on mutually beneficial terms.

The brother of the prisoner has been assured by the US Department of State that “bargaining on Zeltser’s release is outlawed by the YS Constitution: the US do not hold negotiations connected with health and life of a US citizen”.

“It is a good piece of news. I cannot imagine a US official invited by the Belarusian side to return to the US without my brother,” M. Zeltser said. According to him, the official of the US Department of State has received a Belarusian visa already.

E. Zeltser was arrested on March 12, 2008 together with his secretary Vladlena Funk. On August 11 Minsk city court sentenced him to 3 years of imprisonment for use of false documents and attempted commercial espionage. On October 31 the Supreme Court of Belarus upheld the verdict. All court trials were held behind the closed doors.

The US continues to insist on release of Emanuel Zeltser on humanitarian grounds in connection with the hard health conditions of the prisoner.