US called Belarus “critically important” country

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has named Belarus among the “critically important” countries for programs of George Bush Administration for support of democracy and human rights abroad. The US is concerned about the situation with human rights violations in Belarus many years. In the end of the last year the US imposed sanctions against the Belarusian concern Belneftelhim for disagreement to release all political prisoners. Belarusian officials are banned entry to the US, their accounts in this country are frozen.

In the statement by Secretary Rice in the US Senate on Wednesday, she said that the US Administration has included 60 million dollars for financing a specialized “Foundation for Democracy and Human Rights support” to a budget request for 2009. The Foundation has been created by the US Government.

As said by her, Bush Administration will also continue supporting the Global Human Rights Defenders Emergency Fund, which is a program which allows urgently granting small sums of money to human rights defenders who face extraordinary needs because of government repressions.

Secretary Rice has also stated that the US Administration is to continue to advance democracy and support international human rights standards and workers’ rights at the global scale.

She said that 1 billion 745 millions are requested for programs of promoting good state administration, democracy and human rights in the Framework of Presidential plan for Freedom support, which includes underpinning of political competition, search for consensus, rule of law and civil society activities worldwide.