tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24528000.post807651925989160912..comments2023-10-28T12:01:47.929+00:00Comments on Edward Lucas: Belarus and realpolitikEdward Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11369936559712607693noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24528000.post-1679966224019055152007-01-04T21:35:00.000+00:002007-01-04T21:35:00.000+00:00I think Cyrill is right, and now that Russia has r...I think Cyrill is right, and now that Russia has royally screwed him on the oil deal, we have a massive opportunity to wedge Belarus away from Russia. We've got an equally good opportunity to do the same thing in Kazakhstan, and if we don't take advtangage of them we'll have only ourselves to blame when we must deal with dire consequences later on.<br /><br />I'd love to see Edward explore this topic on a continuing basis in the Economist. People's feet have got to be held to the fire.La Russophobehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05672264388217953086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24528000.post-64402356343376043882006-12-21T22:11:00.000+00:002006-12-21T22:11:00.000+00:00Dealing with Lukashenka should not be considered a...Dealing with Lukashenka should not be considered as betrayal of Belarus opposition. If this current opportunity results in moving the country away from the authoritarian rule one way or another, the opposition should be pleased. <br /><br />Sure, no punishment will be served, but wider and more noble goals of turning the country towards freedom might be served better if the West could and would buy Lukashenka out. After all, <a href="http://cyrillvatomsky.com/enwo/index.cfm/2006/11/29/Tempest-in-the-MInsk-teapot-Russian-media-out-of-favour-with-Lukashenka"> he seems to be shopping to barter his country for retirement package. </a><br /><br />With initial fires of elation over Orange Revolutions dying, changes in Belarus could rekindle the process and who knows, maybe Russia eventually follows.Cyrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16235160903593940757noreply@blogger.com