http://www.nandotimes.com/global/story/0,1024,500458723-500698038-503784801-0,
00.html
Belarus accuses CIA of plotting against government
By MARINA BABKINA, Associated Press
MINSK, Belarus (March 1, 2001 3:17 p.m. EST http://www.nandotimes.com)
In the latest attack against the West, Belarus accused the CIA of turning the
former Soviet republic into a "playground for their spies and agents" and
trying to subvert the government. Alexander Zimovsky, the deputy chairman of
the state TV and radio company, devoted a special broadcast of the "Echo"
program late Wednesday night to alleged subversive activities by the CIA in
Belarus. Zimovsky accused the Central Intelligence Agency of inciting
separatism and religious strife in Belarus, undermining the economy and
financing political opposition groups. U.S. Ambassador Michael Kozak declined
comment on Thursday. Belarus' authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko
routinely accuses Western democracies of plotting against his government and
of financing opposition activities. But Zimovsky's presentation was unusual
for its scale and specifics. Zimovsky said U.S. secret services had stationed
430 agents in Belarus over the last eight years. He alleged that the agents
focused on encouraging economic and political disputes in Belarus, financing
the opposition and seeking to discredit the government. "The Americans are
making a crude mistake in regarding Belarus as a playground for their spies
and agents," Zimovsky said. "Belarusian special services have something with
which to counter their attempts to act uncontrollably in our country." He did
not specify what countermeasures Belarusian secret services had in mind.
Zimovsky also ran videotapes of what he described as "operative films"
purporting to show CIA agents leading an opposition rally and meeting with
Belarusian contacts. But the blurry footage provided no indication that the
alleged agent walking past an opposition rally was anything but a chance
passer-by or observer, or that two men walking side by side on the street
were a spy and his contact. No one at the U.S. Embassy could be reached for
comment on the program, which seemed intended as a warning to both foreigners
and Belarusian opposition members searching for support from outside.
Lukashenko on Thursday also warned foreign secret services against trying to
influence the run-up to this year's presidential elections in Belarus, and
threatened that spies would be arrested and imprisoned. According to
Belarusian law, the election must be held by Sept. 27, but no date has been
set.
