Sanctions try on Belarusians fails

Cyprus blocks bid; EU ministers plan to take up issue again

“Although there is a clear will to adopt those sanctions, it has not been possible to do that today because the required unanim- ity was not reached,” European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said after Monday’s meeting in Brussels. More photos at arkansasonline.com/922belarus/ 
(AP/Olivier Hoslet)
“Although there is a clear will to adopt those sanctions, it has not been possible to do that today because the required unanim- ity was not reached,” European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said after Monday’s meeting in Brussels. More photos at arkansasonline.com/922belarus/ (AP/Olivier Hoslet)

BRUSSELS -- European Union foreign ministers failed Monday to impose sanctions on Belarus officials suspected of election fraud or of playing a part in the security crackdown, despite appeals from President Alexander Lukashenko's main opponent to take courageous action against his regime.

With pro-democracy rallies in Belarus now in their seventh week, the EU ministers were weighing whether to impose asset freezes and travel bans on about 40 people linked to irregularities in the Aug. 9 election that gave Lukashenko a sixth term, and over the crackdown that followed.

Several countries want Lukashenko on the sanction list, but some would prefer to gradually ramp up pressure on him by adding names, including his, if he refuses to enter into dialogue with the opposition, rather than hit everyone at once.

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Cyprus, notably, continued to block the sanctions move until similar measures are slapped on Turkey for its disputed energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. EU leaders are now expected to try to break the deadlock when they meet in Brussels on Thursday.

"Although there is a clear will to adopt those sanctions, it has not been possible to do that today because the required unanimity was not reached," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters after chairing the ministers' meeting. "Cyprus is missing to give us unanimity."

Borrell said the EU's ability to forge a common foreign policy among 27 countries is on the line over the sanctions.

"If we are not able to do that, then I understand perfectly that our credibility is at stake," he said.

Despite Cyprus' stance, Borrell said the ministers were united in their rejection of the vote that kept Lukashenko in office after 26 years in power and want to see new voting under the guidance of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

"We are stressing our solidarity with the people of Belarus, their democratic aspirations and their call for a new free and fair elections," he said. He underlined that the EU has no "hidden agenda" in Belarus and urged other countries not to interfere.

At talks over breakfast before the meeting started, Lukashenko's main opponent, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, appealed to the ministers for their support and for the EU to call for fresh elections in Belarus.

"We did a lot to manage with this situation by ourselves, with only the strength of the Belarusian people, but now I understand that we need exterior help," Tsikhanouskaya said, speaking in English.

She is living in exile in EU member Lithuania after fleeing Belarus in fear for her safety and that of her children.

She urged Europe not to provide financial support to the regime, saying "it will only go for violence, for killing Belarusian people."

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Tsikhanouskaya said "sanctions are very important in our fight" to help pressure the government and that while she understood that some European countries are reluctant to impose sanctions, she said that "at this meeting, I asked just to be more brave."

PROTESTERS DETAINED

Police in Belarus said they detained more than 400 protesters who took part in a weekend demonstration demanding Lukashenko's resignation.

Tens of thousands of Belarusians marched through Minsk, the capital, on Sunday. Soldiers blocked off the center of Minsk using water cannons, armored personnel carriers and barbed wire.

Protests also took place in several other cities, including Brest, where police used tear gas in an effort to disperse the crowd.

Human rights activists estimated the crowd in Minsk at about 100,000 people. Police, however, said a total of about 20,000 people rallied in cities and towns all over the country.

According to a police statement Monday, a total of 442 protesters were detained Sunday, including 266 in Minsk. Police said 330 of them remained in custody as they await court hearings.

Although several protesters have died in recent weeks, Belarusian authorities have switched to prosecuting top activists and to mass detentions, avoiding large-scale violence amid international outrage. Many members of the Coordination Council pushing for a transition of power have been arrested or forced to leave the country.

​​​​​Information for this article was contributed by Lorne Cook, Samuel Petrequin, Geir Moulson, Yuras Karmanau and Daria Litvinova of The Associated Press.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, left, speaks with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell during a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. (Olivier Hoslet, Pool via AP)
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, left, speaks with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell during a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. (Olivier Hoslet, Pool via AP)
Portugal European affairs secretary Ana Paula Zacarias, left, speaks with Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya during a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. European Union foreign ministers on Monday were weighing whether to impose sanctions on dozens of Belarus officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, after holding talks with the country's exiled opposition leader. (Olivier Hoslet, Pool via AP)
Portugal European affairs secretary Ana Paula Zacarias, left, speaks with Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya during a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. European Union foreign ministers on Monday were weighing whether to impose sanctions on dozens of Belarus officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, after holding talks with the country's exiled opposition leader. (Olivier Hoslet, Pool via AP)
Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya speaks during a media conference after a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. European Union foreign ministers on Monday were weighing whether to impose sanctions on dozens of Belarus officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, after holding talks with the country's exiled opposition leader. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya speaks during a media conference after a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. European Union foreign ministers on Monday were weighing whether to impose sanctions on dozens of Belarus officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, after holding talks with the country's exiled opposition leader. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya speaks speaks with journalists after a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. European Union foreign ministers on Monday were weighing whether to impose sanctions on dozens of Belarus officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, after holding talks with the country's exiled opposition leader. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya speaks speaks with journalists after a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. European Union foreign ministers on Monday were weighing whether to impose sanctions on dozens of Belarus officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, after holding talks with the country's exiled opposition leader. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya speaks during a media conference after a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. European Union foreign ministers on Monday were weighing whether to impose sanctions on dozens of Belarus officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, after holding talks with the country's exiled opposition leader. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya speaks during a media conference after a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. European Union foreign ministers on Monday were weighing whether to impose sanctions on dozens of Belarus officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, after holding talks with the country's exiled opposition leader. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya arrives for a media conference after a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. European Union foreign ministers on Monday were weighing whether to impose sanctions on dozens of Belarus officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, after holding talks with the country's exiled opposition leader. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya arrives for a media conference after a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. European Union foreign ministers on Monday were weighing whether to impose sanctions on dozens of Belarus officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, after holding talks with the country's exiled opposition leader. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Cypriot Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides, second right, speaks with Italy's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, left, during a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. European Union foreign ministers on Monday were weighing whether to impose sanctions on dozens of Belarus officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, after holding talks with the country's exiled opposition leader. (Olivier Hoslet, Pool via AP)
Cypriot Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides, second right, speaks with Italy's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, left, during a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. European Union foreign ministers on Monday were weighing whether to impose sanctions on dozens of Belarus officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, after holding talks with the country's exiled opposition leader. (Olivier Hoslet, Pool via AP)
Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, right, speaks with Italy's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio during a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. European Union foreign ministers on Monday were weighing whether to impose sanctions on dozens of Belarus officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, after holding talks with the country's exiled opposition leader. (Olivier Hoslet, Pool via AP)
Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, right, speaks with Italy's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio during a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. European Union foreign ministers on Monday were weighing whether to impose sanctions on dozens of Belarus officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, after holding talks with the country's exiled opposition leader. (Olivier Hoslet, Pool via AP)
Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya arrives for a media conference after a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. European Union foreign ministers on Monday were weighing whether to impose sanctions on dozens of Belarus officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, after holding talks with the country's exiled opposition leader. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya arrives for a media conference after a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. European Union foreign ministers on Monday were weighing whether to impose sanctions on dozens of Belarus officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, after holding talks with the country's exiled opposition leader. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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