Milinkevich hopes to convince the new US president to meet Lukashenka half-way
21- 31.10.2008, 11:55
On November 4 US citizens will elect the new president. Leading candidates are Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain. Which of them is preferable for Belarus?
The former presidential candidate Alyaksandr Milinkevich does not favour any candidate, but he says that he has met McCain several times, and has never met with Obama.
“I personally know candidate McCain, I have met him many times. I do not know Barack Obama, and it is difficult for me to say who would pursuit an appropriate policy towards Belarus. But I will make the most of my resources, for the new president to have complete information on the situation in Belarus, and for his policy to be primarily aimed at support of the Belarusian independence,” the politician said in an interview to European Radio for Belarus.
Meanwhile, political analyst Raman Yakauleuski believes policy in the style of the EU shouldn’t be expected from the US. Any US president would be harsh towards the Belarusian regime, but McCain is more favourable for the opposition.
“Policy in the style of the EU couldn’t be expected from Washington. Lukashenka should have no illusions that it would be better for him in the case of Obama’s victory. No. Both Democrats and Republicans have the same view concerning Belarus. There is no desirable president for Lukashenka. And for the opposition McCain is better, it’s true. He knows opposition, opposition knows him. He took part in different international forums and has established contacts with the Belarusian opposition. For instance, with Andrei Sannikov,” the political analyst said.
In his turn, Alyaksandr Milikavich hopes that he would be able to convince the new US president to meet Belarusian authorities half-way, demanding appropriate steps.
“There is a serious threat of independence loss because our economy is functioning highly ineffectively. It needs reforms. If economy would be isolated, if it wouldn’t be modernized, we would get into the full dependence on Russia. And the policy towards Belarus should proceed from that. I think that economic sanctions in this case would worsen situation with independence even more. So cooperation is needed, but this cooperation is always should include conditions. That’s my strategy, and I think that it is important for both the European countries and the US to follow it,” he says.
By the way, John McCain has taken an active part in discussion of the Belarusian question. He was the author and initiator of the Act on Democracy in Belarus, adopted by the Congress in 2004.
