Scanlan: Belarus has a week to meet OSCE standards
The head of the U.S. diplomatic mission notes that Belarus still lacks changes in the way information is presented to the population.
The head of the U.S. diplomatic mission notes that Belarus still lacks changes in the way information is presented to the population which means that electors are unable to make a conscious choice.
The head of the U.S. Embassy to Belarus Michael Scanlan drew attention to the results of the interim OSCE EOM report at a meeting with journalists. According to it, Belarus has made certain positive steps in the democratization process. In the first place, it can be noticed in the process of signature collection and the fact that the candidates can gather, organize meetings and campaign for themselves. At the same time, Scanlan specified that there were almost no changes in one of the most important spheres - presenting information to the population.
According to the report, the Belarusian television covering the election dedicates most of its time to the activities of the CEC and the state leader. Only 14% of its air time is dedicated to opposition candidates and the coverage is negative. Electors lack information. It means that they are unable to make a conscious choice.
Euroradio asked Mr. Scanlan how many positive changes had to be observed compared to the negative ones so that the West could recognize the election. The diplomat replied that there was a whole week before the election. It was still possible to make positive steps during the week. “The OSCE has highlighted its standards and the fact whether they are going to be met remains an open question”, - stated the diplomat.
Michael Scanlan representing the USA expressed a hope that the election was only part of the great democratization process and that Belarus would proceed along the path. He noted that the United States’ position had always been and would remain consistent.
The Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of the United States paid a lot of attention to the memorandum on mutual relations. Let us remind you that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Belarusian Foreign Minister Syarhei Martynau signed it the other day.
According to Scanlan, the United Sates welcomes the fact that all Belarusian stocks of highly enriched uranium will be replaced with low-enriched uranium fuel that cannot be used by terrorists. The USA will provide technical help to facilitate the process.
He also reminded that the problem of HEU was only one of the points of the memorandum on mutual relations. The problem of respect for democracy and human rights remained central to U.S.-Belarus relations.
The Belarusian administration acknowledged that the respect for democracy and human rights was still a problem in the bilateral relations. The USA welcomes the statement. “We welcome it and hope for progress”, - noted Scanlan. According to the American diplomat, Belarus still preserves the status quo in the field and the election is a great opportunity to follow the path of progress.
Michael Scanlan also claimed that the problem of the U.S. Embassy when the number of its staff memebrs was reduced from 35 to 5 complicated the Embassy’s main task – informing journalists and the population about the position of the USA in different fields.
The work has been reorganized. A member of the political department Christopher Panico has become First Secretary in the Embassy. Working with mass media is one of his current responsibilities. It has become easier to fulfill the function, noted the head of the diplomatic mission.
By the way, Christopher Panico is not new to Belarus. He was a representative of the OSCE mission in our country at the end of the 1990s and at the beginning of the 2000s. Belarusian policemen detained Panico when he was watching the celebration of the Freedom Day in Minsk in 2000. Even his diplomatic inviolability did not stop them.
According to the report, the Belarusian television covering the election dedicates most of its time to the activities of the CEC and the state leader. Only 14% of its air time is dedicated to opposition candidates and the coverage is negative. Electors lack information. It means that they are unable to make a conscious choice.
Euroradio asked Mr. Scanlan how many positive changes had to be observed compared to the negative ones so that the West could recognize the election. The diplomat replied that there was a whole week before the election. It was still possible to make positive steps during the week. “The OSCE has highlighted its standards and the fact whether they are going to be met remains an open question”, - stated the diplomat.
Michael Scanlan representing the USA expressed a hope that the election was only part of the great democratization process and that Belarus would proceed along the path. He noted that the United States’ position had always been and would remain consistent.
The Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of the United States paid a lot of attention to the memorandum on mutual relations. Let us remind you that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Belarusian Foreign Minister Syarhei Martynau signed it the other day.
According to Scanlan, the United Sates welcomes the fact that all Belarusian stocks of highly enriched uranium will be replaced with low-enriched uranium fuel that cannot be used by terrorists. The USA will provide technical help to facilitate the process.
He also reminded that the problem of HEU was only one of the points of the memorandum on mutual relations. The problem of respect for democracy and human rights remained central to U.S.-Belarus relations.
The Belarusian administration acknowledged that the respect for democracy and human rights was still a problem in the bilateral relations. The USA welcomes the statement. “We welcome it and hope for progress”, - noted Scanlan. According to the American diplomat, Belarus still preserves the status quo in the field and the election is a great opportunity to follow the path of progress.
Michael Scanlan also claimed that the problem of the U.S. Embassy when the number of its staff memebrs was reduced from 35 to 5 complicated the Embassy’s main task – informing journalists and the population about the position of the USA in different fields.
The work has been reorganized. A member of the political department Christopher Panico has become First Secretary in the Embassy. Working with mass media is one of his current responsibilities. It has become easier to fulfill the function, noted the head of the diplomatic mission.
By the way, Christopher Panico is not new to Belarus. He was a representative of the OSCE mission in our country at the end of the 1990s and at the beginning of the 2000s. Belarusian policemen detained Panico when he was watching the celebration of the Freedom Day in Minsk in 2000. Even his diplomatic inviolability did not stop them.
