US ambassador leaves Belarus
Only five days after an insistent recommendation from the Belarus’s foreign ministry, US Ambassador in Minsk Karen Stewart agreed to return to Washington for consultations. The ambassador announced she was leaving during a meeting with the opposition politicians, Anatol Lyabedzka, the leader of the United Civic Party told the European Radio for Belarus.
“It depends on the Belarusian side for how long Karen Stewart will remain in the United States. The Belarusian authorities know how to get out of this scandal. The issue of political prisoners is the most important one in this situation. When Kozulin and Kim are freed, this will open new perspectives in Belarus-US relations”, Lyabedzka said.
On March 8, the Belarusian foreign ministry issued a statement, accusing the US of violating an algorithm of actions in order to normalize bilateral relations. The European Radio for Belarus is finding out what this algorithm is all about. The US Embassy in Minsk declined a comment on this matter.
“The embassy has no comment on this matter at the moment”.
Almost the similar answer came from Maryia Vanshyna, a spokesperson for the Belarusian foreign ministry.
“Everything is written in the statement. Read it carefully. We will have no further comments”.
However, the statement, released by the Belarusian foreign ministry, does not explain what this algorithm to normalize relations is about. Possibly, this could be somehow linked with the twelve proposals of the European Union.
Analyst Aliksandr Fyaduta does not think so. Here is his vision of the situation:
Firstly, our foreign ministry does not recognize these twelve conditions of the EU. Secondly, our foreign ministry sees a difference between Europe and the United States.”
In the view of the commentator, the point is about the loyalty in relations between the two countries.
“Most likely, the message of the statement was to show that the adjustment of relations between Belarus and the United States should first of all be regarded as non-worsening of these relations, i.e. neither us nor you do anything against each other”, Fyaduta says.
However, if Belarus has very little leverage of pressure on the US, Americans have a lot, on the opposite. Just one instruction from the US Department of Treasury to avoid contacts with the Belarusian companies whose accounts are frozen, was enough. But the actual result of this measure is expand the sanctions on several dozens enterprises, not just Belneftekhim.
As retaliation, Belarus recalled its ambassador in Washington back home for consultations. The US ambassador did the same five days after the Belarus government recommended that she leave the country.
Belarus had previously happened to recall its ambassadors for consultations, e.g. during the conflict associated with the Polish minority union.
What is a usual diplomatic practice in such cases? Belarus’s former deputy foreign minister Andrei Sannikov responds:
“It depends on the leadership of a country, on its foreign ministry, not on the recommendations or demands of a hosting country. Another thing is when an ambassador is expelled. It could be declared persona non-grata, or it could be announced that the countries suspend diplomatic relations. But this should be a very serious conflict in this scenario.”
The present Belarus-US conflict can hardly be described as insignificant. Both ambassadors will receive consultations. The question is who will make the next step and what this step will be all about.
Photo: bymedia.net
