Saturday, May 29, 2021

Alexander Lukashenko| May 29, 2021

 2 - White House News in Chinese (weebly.com)

Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko or Alyaksand(а)r Ryhoravich Lukashenka[a] in Belarusian (born 31 August 1954) is a Belarusian politician who has served as the first and current president of Belarus since the establishment of the office on 20 July 1994.[3] Prior to his political career, Lukashenko worked as director of a state farm (sovkhoz), and served in the Soviet Border Troops and in the Soviet Army.

Lukashenko continued state ownership of key industries in Belarus after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and retained important Soviet-era symbolism, which can be seen in the coat of arms and national flag of Belarus, adopted following a controversial 1995 referendum, which were based on the symbols of the Byelorussian SSR. Following the same referendum, Lukashenko was given more power with the ability to dismiss the Supreme Soviet of Belarus and another referendum in 1996 allowed Lukashenko to further consolidate power. The Russian language was also given the same status as Belarusian, and economic ties with Russia were strengthened, which furthermore led to the creation of the Union State with Russia, which allows Belarusians to freely travel to, work, and study in Russia, and vice versa. However, relations with Russia have not always run smoothly under his tenure, such as during the Milk Wars.[4]

Lukashenko heads an authoritarian government and has often been referred to by media outlets as "Europe's last dictator".[5] Elections are not considered to be free and fair by international monitors, opponents of the regime are repressed, and the media is not free,[6][7] leading to sanctions on Lukashenko and other Belarusian officials being imposed.[8][9][10] His disputed victory in the country's 2020 presidential election led to widespread allegations of vote rigging, which strongly amplified anti-government protests, the largest during his rule.[11] Protesters have faced violent persecution by the authorities. A statement by the United Nations Human Rights Office on 1 September cited more than 450 documented cases of torture and ill-treatment of detainees, as well as reports of sexual abuse and rape.[12] Following the contested election, Lukashenko is not recognized by the United Kingdom, European Union and the United States as the legitimate president of Belarus.     from Wikipedia


Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko met with Russian president Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia on Friday.
Belarus: US draws up sanctions for ‘ongoing abuses’ after plane incident


White House says the US, the EU and other allies will target key members of President Lukashenko’s government

May 29 - The Biden administration has said it is drawing up a list of targeted sanctions against key members of the Belarusian government which forced the landing of a passenger jet and had a journalist on board arrested.

The White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Friday the United States was also suspending a 2019 agreement between Washington and Minsk that allowed carriers from each country to use the other’s airspace, and taking other actions against the government of President Alexander Lukashenko.

In a statement, she called on Lukashenko to allow a credible international investigation into the events of 23 May, when the Ryanair passenger jet flying from Greece to Lithuania was forced to land in Minsk.

Belarusian authorities scrambled a fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force the plane to land, then detained the opposition journalist who was on board, drawing condemnation from Europe and the United States.

Psaki said the United States, with the EU and other allies, was developing a list of targeted sanctions against key members of Lukashenko’s government “associated with ongoing abuses of human rights and corruption, the falsification of the 2020 election, and the events of May 23”.

The EU has said it will provide Belarus with €3bn (£2.6bn) through grants and loans if the country “changes course” in an attempt to ramp up internal pressure on Lukashenko as he met Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday...     more


Statement by Press Secretary Jen Psaki on the United States Response to Belarus’s Forced Diversion of Ryanair Flight and Continuing Attack on Fundamental Freedoms

May 28, 2021 • Statements and Releases

Belarus’s forced diversion of a commercial Ryanair flight under false pretenses, traveling between two member states of the European Union, and the subsequent removal and arrest of Raman Pratasevich, a Belarusian journalist, are a direct affront to international norms. These events took place amid an escalating wave of repression by the Lukashenka regime against the aspirations of the people of Belarus for democracy and human rights. In response to the events of May 23 and the Lukashenka regime’s continuing attack on fundamental freedoms, the United States is taking the following actions:


The United States has joined the public condemnation of the events of May 23 at the United Nations (UN), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Group of Seven (G7), and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). We will continue to advocate at these bodies for action against the Lukashenka regime for its affront to international norms and undermining of democracy and human rights.


The Department of State has issued a Level 4 Do Not Travel warning to U.S. citizens urging them not to travel to Belarus. ..     more

US to re-impose sanctions on nine Belarusian state companies — White House
US persons will be prohibited from engaging in transactions with these entities, their property, or their interests in property

May 29 - The United States will renew its sanctions on nine Belarusian state-owned enterprises following the Ryanair plane incident, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.

"On June 3, 2021, the United States will re-impose full blocking sanctions against nine Belarusian state-owned enterprises previously granted relief under a series of General Licenses by the Treasury Department," the statement says.
As a result of this measure, US persons will be prohibited from engaging in transactions with these entities, their property, or their interests in property.

Besides, the United States "in coordination with the EU and other partners and Allies" will develop sanctions against key Belarusian government officials whom Washington suspects of "ongoing abuses of human rights and corruption, the falsification of the 2020 election, and the events of May 23.".     source from
研制新型五代机 测试S-500 俄新装备即将“上线” 20210528 |《今日关注》 CCTV中文国际
May 29, 2021


No comments:

Post a Comment

Featured Post

Mischief Reef |Mar. 25

  WH keeping public in dark on what Biden demanded of China’s Xi over arming Putin​ Mar. 18 - The White House was tight-lipped Friday about ...