Jonathan Moore: Sanctions against other state-controlled Belarusian enterprises are possible

US Charge d’Affaires in Belarus Jonathan Moore doesn’t exclude his country will impose additional sanctions against Belarusian enterprises.

Unfortunately, there are three political prisoners (Alyaksandr Kazulin, Syarhei Parsyukevich and Andrei Kim) instead of one. Potentially, it may lead to additional sanctions against Belarus, Mr Moore told at his on-line conference on “Belorusskie Novosti” site.

– Do you think it is possible to gain better relations between the Republic of Belarus and the USA by imposing sanctions?

– The United States of America have imposed sanctions targeted against the Belarusian government. We think the government is responsible for the situation with human rights in Belarus. The USA and the European Union have a unified position here. Its’ important to emphasise that the United States and the UE have a common strategy. The tactics may differ a little. Last year we decided to impose sanctions against Belneftekhim company, because income of this enterprise supports the Belarusian government. It is obvious that it is controlled by the President’s Administration. For the same reason we don’t regard these sanction as sanctions against the Belarusian people.

Our intention was to arouse a reaction of Belarus. A positive reaction would be political and economic reforms, including release of political prisoners. The Belarusian authorities took some measures, but everything reversed and only a negative result is seen.

What concerns a constructive cooperation, we cooperate with many countries regardless of their political and economic systems. But serious violations of human rights in Belarus make it difficult to cooperate constructively with the Belarusian authorities. By the way, we have a long history of humanitarian cooperation with Belarus. Since 1991 we granted humanitarian aid of more than 270 million dollars. We are continuing a dialog in different spheres with the Belarusian citizens, including representatives of authorities.

– Theoretically, which other sanctions can Washington impose against Minsk?

– Sanctions against other state-controlled Belarusian enterprises are possible.

– Did unwillingness of Minsk to release Kazulin cause clarification of the sanctions against Belneftekhim?

– We imposed sanctions against Belneftekhim last year due to difficult situation with human rights in Belarus. At that time we laid special emphasis on importance of political prisoners’ release. But as the regime stopped the process of political prisoners releasing, we issued the clarification of the sanctions. Unfortunately, there are three political prisoners now instead of one. Potentially, it can lead to additional sanctions against Belarus.

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– – Good afternoon. I’d like to know how you estimate the economic potential of the today’s Belarus; in your view, how long will the current Belarusian regime hold out?

– History shows that state control over economy is short-life. Russia, China and Vietnam refused from the centralised control over economy. Sooner or later, the economic situation in Belarus must change. There are people among Belarusian officials, who understand it, too. But I wouldn’t suggest how long it will last in Belarus.

– I’d like to know how the current diplomatic discord can affect common Belarusian citizens, living in the US now.

–This discord mustn’t influence their lives at all. Only one difficulty may appear as a result of the decision of the Belarusian regime to reduce its staff in the Belarusian embassy and consulate general in the United States: officers of the Belarusian consular service will have fewer opportunities to help Belarusian citizens, who live in the US.

– Mr Moore, could you now tell what an agreement Minsk, Washington and Brussels had? What was promised to Lukashenka for release of political prisoners?

– We were promised in January all political prisoners would be released by the end of February. If it had happened so, the US would have taken certain retaliatory steps. David Merkel told it in the interview to “Belorusskie Novosti.” We worked in close cooperation with our European partners on these issues. But the actions by the regime didn’t allow us to take positive steps.

– Mr Moore, on 1 May the Associated Press referring to a source in the Department of State spread the information the US was going to close down its embassy in Minsk. Later the Department of State’s representative Tom Casey declared there was no formal decision yet, but it was considered. In your view, what is the probability that the US will come to this step and shut down its mission in Belarus?

– Reducing of our embassy staff from 35 to 17 and then to 6, including the ambassador, is absolutely unprecedented. As Tom Casey and other people said, it is “unjustified and unwarranted.” I saw 11 of my colleagues out to the border. At present four remaining diplomats continue to represent interests of the US in Belarus. A decision on our further steps hasn’t been made yet.

– Could you tell the position of the US concerning a role of Russia in the Belarusian-American conflict?

– Russia plays no role in the bilateral relations between the US and Belarus.

– Don’t you think the current situation gives a bargaining chip to the regime in the eyes of electorate? Has Mr Zeltser a chance to come back to his native land as a normal man?

– As the regime controls the television, it has the game in hands.

What concerns Mr Zeltser, we call to release him on humanitarian grounds. We think the Belarusian regime is responsible for his state of health.