Belarusan defence: the turn of the issue upside down

A new initiative of Belarusan MFA is a traditional response to the insistence of the international community to observe human rights in Belarus, the representatives of civil society are convinced.

 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus appealed to the creation of the post of a special reporter of The United Nations Human Rights Council on inadmissibility of the use of irreciprocal compulsory measures.

EuroBelarus Information Service turned to experts in order to find out what determines such initiative of Belarusan foreign office and what it can result in.

Ulad Vialichka, Chairperson of the International Consortium “EuroBelarus”:

- Such initiative looks like a certain form of defence against quite an insistent and exacting stance of the international community to the countries which have problems with human rights. It is a peculiar attempt to turn the issue upside down and defend the interests of Belarusan state, not human rights in Belarus. I think it is rather a certain boasting and wordplay.

Indeed, all those measures concerning Belarus taken in the mode of the insistent demand of respect for human rights go beyond the national jurisdiction because The Universal Declaration of Human Rights refers to all people on the Earth. And any subject which insists on fulfillment of these or other items of the Declaration appeals to just this document regardless of the particular country where these rights are abused. I don’t see double standards or double interpretation of these items on the side of European Union or other states which insist on fulfillment of the regulations of the Declaration in respect to Belarus.

Dzianis Mialjantsau, analyst at the Belarusan Institute for Strategic Studies (BISS):

- This action of Belarusan Ministry of Foreign Affairs is, first of all, connected with the fact that the appointed special reporter of The United Nations Human Rights Council is Miklosh Harasti. Belarusan side doesn’t recognize his credentials. And this initiative acts a certain compensatory part in order to show that some problems of different kind disturb the official Minsk.

It is quite clear that such a representative won’t be approved by The United Nations Organization, and it will give another argument to the official Minsk in the  counter argumentation on the subject of the appointment of a special reporter  on Belarus. I.e. accusations of double standards and so on will follow.

Such diplomatic course at large agrees with an ordinary style of behavior of Belarusan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If there is any action on the side of international structures concerning human rights in Belarus, there is a counter action on the side of the official Minsk which is to compensate an action of international structures. Hardly can the Belarusan initiative be considered from the position of any utilitarian measures, which must have some effect within the scope of international law and the system of international relations.

Andrei Kazakevich, director of the Institute for Policy Studies Palіtychnaya Sphera (Political Sphere):

- In whole such statements correspond to many statements made by our Ministry of Foreign Affairs and those of some other states in relation to the West: with the criticism at the OSCE, double standards etc.

But I don’t think that such initiatives will get any political realization these days. Moreover, there will be no special use for Belarus out of the attempts of realization of such an initiative. I think in this situation it can intensify the isolation of the country even more or complicate the relations with Europe and the USA which, in my opinion, is absolutely not for the benefit of Belarus.

It will also bring no mileage in solution of some strategic objectives. Because, for instance, for such countries as Russia and China initiatives as this one can pay off on the side of geopolitical interests. But as for Belarus, it is a totally useless venture.