Belarusian regime asks Russia to save it from Western sanctions

Syarhei Rumas, the Belarusian deputy PM, has sent a letter to the head of the board of the Eurasian Economic Commission, Viktor Khristenko.

He asked EEC members to work out a common position on the sanctions against Belarus imposed by the EU and the US.

In particular, the Belarusian party calls to express a joint reaction to EU and US sanctions against Belarus at a scheduled meeting of the EEC, Interfax news agency reports.

The Council of Ministers of Belarus confirmed deputy PM Rumas had sent a letter to Khristenko but declined to give further comments.

The EU Council adopted a regulation last week providing for extension of sanctions against Belarusian individuals and entities involved in violations of fundamental rights and liberties.

The EU foreign ministers are to discuss an issue of extending sanctions against Belarusian officials at a meeting on February 27. It is unofficially reported that 135 Belarusian officials will be added to the list of persons subject to the EU travel ban and assets freezing measures.

A political decision on travel restrictions and economic sanctions against Belarus was taken by the EU Council on January 31, 2011, in Brussels, when EU foreign ministers made a list of Belarusian officials, who are responsible, in their opinion, for human rights violations during the presidential campaign. These persons are banned from entering the EU states, their assets in the EU are frozen. The initial list included 158 names, but later was extended several times by the EU Council. Now, over 200 Belarusian civil servants are subject to the travel ban.

Besides, the EU imposed sanctions against BelTechExport, BT-Telecom and Sport-Pari companies.

In early January, US President Barack Obama signed the law slapping new sanctions on Belarus. On December 21, 2011, the US Congress adopted the Belarus Democracy and Human Rights Act of 2011, which toughens sanctions.

The new package of sanctions extends the list of Belarusian officials and law enforcement officers subject to travel restrictions and financial sanctions. The law calls on the International Ice Hockey Federation not to hold the 2014 world championship in Minsk.

The US economic sanctions touch mainly Belarusian oil companies owned by Belneftekhim concern (Lakokraska, Polotsk-Steklovolokno, Grodno Azot, Belshina, Naftan, Grodno Khimvolokno). American citizens and firms are forbidden to have business contacts with the above mentioned firms. Moreover, Americans banks must freeze assets of these firms.

The US sanctions also impact one of the Belarusian banks, TK Bank, created by Iranian Bank Tejerat. The US authorities accuse Tejerat Bank of financing Iran’s nuclear programme.

The agreement on creation of the Eurasian Economic Commission was signed by presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia in November 2011.

The EEC is a supranational institution to manage integration processes inside the Customs Union and Common Economic Space of the three countries. The Eurasian Economic Commission consists of the council and the board. The board includes three representatives of each state, the council is represented by one deputy PM from each state.

Rumas is the chair of the EEC Council. The representatives of Belarus in the board are former PM Syarhei Sidorski, former head of the State Customs Commnittee Uladzimir Hoshyn and former head of the Belarusian State Standardization Committee Valery Karashkou.