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October 14, 2019 lrytas.lt Central/Eastern Europe, Foreign affairs, Latest, Lithuania

Lithuania should take note of changes in Washington’s policy toward Minsk

During a visit to Minsk, US Deputy Secretary of State D. Hale announced that after a break of 11 years, the countries will once again be represented at the level of ambassadors. The US embassy proclaimed this to be a “historic moment.”

It is still early to call the high ranking US diplomatic visit or the return of ambassadors as historic, but a thaw in the countries’ relations is clear, Lietuvos rytas paper writes in its editorial.

This is also displayed by unprecedented diplomatic engagement – last Month, now former US president’s national security advisor J. Bolton visited Minsk.

Washington promises Minsk to reduce sanctions (they were already reduced once in 2016) though it demands more progress during the parliamentary elections due in Belarus this November and presidential elections due in August next year.

In other terms, if A. Lukashenko does not turn to violence against the opposition and the elections are recognised as legitimate, the sanctions will be cancelled.

This sort of turn in regard to A. Lukashenko, who is called the last dictator in Europe, cannot be explained by his regime becoming more democratic, albeit Minsk has avoided open repression against the opposition as of late.

The real reasons for the changes in Washington’s policy are likely to be pragmatic. US relations with Russia following the Crimean annexation became especially hostile and Moscow’s efforts to make Belarus even more dependent force to offer A. Lukashenko a counterbalance – cooperation with the West.

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