Alyaksandr Kazulin: “Privatisation shouldn’t be carried on by means of backstage deals”

Former Belarusian political prisoner Alyaksandr Kazulin pays a working the politician visit to the US. The politician warned the West of recognition of the “parliamentary election” in Belarus, as its results are already known in the Lukashenka’s administration.

The politician has already had some meetings with high ranking officials of the Department of State, office of National Security Advisor of the US, as well as officers of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, the International Republican Institute and National Democratic Institute, the Voice of America reports.

The main events of the visit of the Belarusian politician to the US are a meeting with the US President George Bush in the frames of the session of the UN General Assembly in New York, and contacts with advisors for foreign policy of campaign headquarters of John McCain and Barack Obama.

On September 22, Alyaksandr Kazulin spoke in the International Republican Institute (IRI) in Washington, where he told his view of the situation in Belarus to politologists, diplomats and journalists.

First of all, he thanked the US nation, US government and president bush for taking part in his destiny. Kazulin thinks interference of the United States, who demanded to hear his case in the UN Security Council, saved his life, because it was one of his conditions for stopping his long-term hungry strike.

He also thanked the US for the readiness to render medical aid to his wife Iryna Kazulina, though her disease was too strong at that time. Alyaksandr Kazulin emphasised that his wife struggled not only for his release, she scarified herself for freedom and independence of Belarus.

Speaking on behalf of the democratic forces of Belarus, he focused on problems of the oncoming “parliamentary election” on September 28 and warned the West against hastily recognition of the election in return for small concessions of the regime.

In Kazulin’s view, the election campaign doesn’t give hope for honest and fair election. The results are known in the Lukashenka’s administration, none of the authoritative opposition figures and opponents of the regime won’t be included in the so called “house of representatives”.

“Moreover,” he emphasised, “In spite of release of remaining political prisoners, a campaign of tight repressions against the opponents of the regime may begin in the country at any moment.”

One of the most practical ways out of the system crises, the country has faced, is a round table with authorities’ representatives and democratic opposition through intermediary of the EU and the US.

The Belarusian opposition must become an active party in such negotiations that will allow to avoid deciding of the destiny of the country and its democratic future behind the back of participants of the political process.

A similar decision may be useful in regard to problems of foreign investments. Privatisation in the country shouldn’t be carried on by means of backstage deals between the regime and doubtful partners, as it is happening today.