US Charge D’Affaires Welcomes Kazulin’s Release as “Important Step”

Jonathan Moore, the US charge d’affaires in Belarus, has described Alyaksandr Kazulin’s release as an “important step,” saying that Washington “looks forward to other positive steps.”

Dr. Kazulin was freed from the Vitsba-3 correctional facility near Vitsyebsk on August 16 and an unnamed source with the Presidential Administration confirmed later in the day that Alyaksandr Lukashenka had granted a pardon to his rival in the 2006 presidential election.

In an interview with BelaPAN, Mr. Moore said that the United States expected Belarus to improve its human rights record and hold democratic parliamentary elections. “The release of all political prisoners continues to be very important,” he stressed.

The diplomat said that September’s parliamentary vote was key to an improvement in relations between Belarus and the United States. “Very positive statements have been made about the elections, but at the same time some of what is happening behind the scene has been very worrisome – the pressure on individual candidates, for example, that was well documented in the press. We look forward for other positive steps,” he said.

“We are following the conduct of the elections and how the elections are carried out. Even this week we were following the subject of candidates registration with a lot of interest,” Mr. Moore said.

The United States will consider lifting its sanctions on the Belarusian State Petrochemical Industry Concern (Belnaftakhim) if it makes sure that the Belarusian authorities are ready for significant changes.