Lex Libertas

Last week, Belarus demanded that 10 American diplomats leave Belarus, reducing the representation to five people. Over the weekend, 11 diplomats left the country, and are currently in Lithuania (next door). 10 were those originally declared Persona non Grata. No information has been released as to why an additional member left the country as well.

After receiving the expulsion order, giving the 10 diplomats 72 hours to leave the country, the US government debated how to respond. According to one report, they even went so far as to consider fully withdrawing diplomatic representation, and asking the Belarussians to leave the US. Apparently, this decision was actually put into motion, only to be called off at the last moment.

This tiff has been continually escalating recently. After the blatantly neither free nor fair presidential elections of 2006, the US and EU placed travel sanctions on 30 Belarussian officials and economic sanctions on the country’s petrochemical (oil) company. In response, the Belarussian government demanded that the US reduce its diplomatic staff. The US had 38 diplomats in Belarus, and Belarus had 18 in the US. The US mission was halved last month, and then the government demanded that it be reduced further, to 5. In March, the US ambassador was recalled to Washington, which leaves our embassy without a head.

As a result, the US embassy stopped issuing visas to Belarussians, citing the low number of staff and complaining that they couldn’t properly do their work. Now, with a staff of four, they have said that Belarussians can apply for visas in foreign countries (ie. Russia).

A US State Department official explained their take on the situation:

“It’s an unwarranted and unjustified action,” Tom Casey, a State Department spokesman, said. “It is something that is being done solely as a result of the United States’ support for democracy and human rights activists in Belarus.”

This series of developments is quite serious, countries don’t usually PNG large sections of another country’s representation, or force them to cut 85% of their staff.

Oddly, my experience with the Belarussian consular staff in Moscow was very pleasant. The women were very friendly and accomodating. It was one of the best consular experiences I’ve ever had, and much nicer than my past interactions with Russian or American consular assignments. Overall, I have a very high opinion of Belarussians. They are the most calm and tranquil of all the Slavs. Maybe they’re a little to patient and accomodating, particularly of their government.