UNCLAS VILNIUS 000668 SENSITIVE SIPDIS AMEMBASSY MINSK SENDS E.O. 
12958: N/A TAGS: PREL, PHUM, PINR, BO, GG SUBJECT: BELARUS: SPAT WITH 
RUSSIA OVER GEORGIA REF: VILNIUS 663 

1. (SBU) The neutrality of the 
Belarusian regime with regard to the conflict in Georgia (reftel) has 
now become the topic of a public bilateral dispute between Minsk and 
Moscow. Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Surikov, in remarks to the media 
August 12, decried the GOB's "timid silence" and complained that the 
Belarusian position was "completely incomprehensible. Citing mutual 
responsibilities with the Russia-Belarus "Union State", Surikov 
complained that Russia supports Belarus internationally -- opposing, for
example, U.S. economic sanctions on Belarusian leaders -- and has a 
right to expect support in return. 

2. (SBU) A response to Surikov's 
remarks has been provided by Aleksandr Zimovskiy, Belarusian National 
State Television and Radio Company Chairman, who spoke to independent 
press agency Belapan August 12. Zimovskiy, after first deferring to the 
separate upcoming meetings of the countries' presidents and prime 
ministers, accusing Putin of snubbing Lukashenko while at the Olympics 
in Beijing: "Putin [formally Prime Minister of the Union State] was 
discussing the Caucasian issue not with his formal chief [Lukashenko, 
Head of the Union State] and legal ally but with others. It follows from
this, that Belarus considers Russia to be its ally historically and 
permanently, but Russia considers Belarus its ally at the moment when it
is politically and economically expedient. At the beginning, the 
Russians gave us to understand: 'We'll be fine without you.' That's 
understandable. And then they get upset: 'Why have you abandoned us?' 
This is silly."

Comment
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3. (SBU) Minsk and Moscow get into minor
tussles from time to time, and from our perspective this current spat 
does not in itself presage any major change in the bilateral 
relationship (or better prospects for reforms in Belarus). The 
cancellation or postponement of the upcoming encounters between 
Presidents Lukashenko and Medvedev or Prime Ministers Sidorskiy and 
Putin, were that to happen, would indicate a deeper rift.

MOORE LEADER