Jonathan Moore: “Situation we observe in Belarus recently is unprecedented”

Chargé d'Affaires of the United States of America in Belarus Jonathan Moore has taken part in an on-line press-conference at the website of “Komsomolskaya Pravda in Belarus” newspaper. He has commented sanctions imposed by the US against the Belarusian regime. We offer extracts from the conference:

- Please tell us are new enterprises linked to Belneftekhim on the list of sanctions mean expanding of sanctions or just clarification?

- In March 2008 the US Treasury published clarification of sanctions against Belneftekhim imposed in November last year. This specification said that affiliated companies mostly controlled by Belneftekhim are falling under the sanctions as well. As far as I understand the companies named yesterday fall within the clarification published in March.

- Do companied in Belarus work with American capital? How many of them do? How would they be affected by the conflict?

- There are a number of companies in Belarus that work with the US capital. They are certainly purely private and are not connected to the US government in any way. We do not have statistics about their exact number. As far as I know, these companies continue to work in Belarus, and recent events haven’t affected their business in any way.

- Do you feel negative attitude towards the US citizens while working in Belarus? How it could be noticed?

- I and my family have noticed a great hospitality of Belarusians. Certainly, sometimes attitude of some representatives of the establishment, and in particular, of the state TV, who can make negative comments about us, is disappointing. But as a representative of my country, we know that we are doing our duty.

- Have there been occurrences in the US history when a US Embassy was closed in any country?

- Yes, there have been a few occasions over the history. Embassies are surely closed during military activities. Embassies are closed for political reasons not often. One of such examples is Cuba, where the US Embassy was closed in 1960, and the US diplomats hadn’t returned there for 17 years. The situation we are observing in Belarus recently is unprecedented.

- Why the US and the EU shut their eyes to the totalitarian regime in the centre of Europe? Are you waiting for the moment when Lukashenka will get nuclear weapons?

The US pays great attention to the events in Belarus. Some people believe that we pay too much attention to Belarus. However I would like to say that Belarus is a very important country and we would like to see Belarus a sovereign and independent state. Being a free democratic country with market economy, Belarus could play a significant role in Europe.