US embassy cable - 05MINSK1023

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 001023 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FRANKFURT FOR DOD/COA WINTERSTEIN AND GRASS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/15 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, BO 
SUBJECT: Press Accuses Marines of Smuggling, Romance 
 
Classified by Charge Constance Phlipot for Reasons 1.4 
(B,D) 
 
1. (C) Summary: The independent, but pro-Lukashenko, weekly 
newspaper Obozrevatel ("Observer") ran a story August 26 
accusing Embassy Minsk's Marine Security Guards and other 
Emboffs of smuggling campaign literature into Belarus for 
the opposition in 2001.  The paper admits this article is 
in response to Ambassador's interview to the paper a week 
earlier.  Belarusian state television followed with anti- 
U.S. and anti-West attacks based on the article on August 
26 and 28.  While two U.S. Embassy POV's successfully 
crossed the Lithuanian border August 27, a British Embassy 
vehicle was stopped and nearly searched, possibly as a 
result of this article.  Post expects such media attacks to 
increase as the 2006 presidential elections draw near.  End 
summary. 
 
 
Love and Revolution, Marine Style 
--------------------------------- 
 
2. (C) Ambassador gave an interview to Obozrevatel that was 
published very nearly verbatim August 19.  In the forward 
to an August 26 article, the paper claimed a young 
Belarusian woman, "Anastasia," saw the interview and told 
the paper she had dated a Marine Security Guard (MSG) in 
2001.  The newspaper published her interview August 26, 
entitled, "Leisure Embassy Style: A Touch of Love and 
Revolution."  For most of the article, she described her 
relationship with Joseph Martin, who the paper describes as 
head of the MSG detachment.  [Note: Martin was a MSG 
corporal who served at Embassy Minsk in 2000 to 2001.  He 
was not the Detachment Commander.] 
 
3. (SBU) Towards the end of the article "Anastasia" 
described how Martin promised her Belarus would soon have a 
democratic revolution.  She then claims to have often 
overheard Emboffs discuss frequent shopping trips for food 
to Vilnius.  She added, "So, I hear, they simultaneously 
brought leaflets and other printed material for the 
opposition in Belarus.  It's not difficult at all.  Their 
white Chevy Blazer has diplomatic plates.  These cars don't 
get examined at customs."  The article is accompanied by 
photos of "Anastasia" and a friend with Martin, of a young 
woman in lingerie and sun glasses standing in front of an 
American flag, of the MSG's previous residence, of USAID's 
white Chevrolet Suburban (which the paper says is the 
Marine vehicle), and two of "Anastasia" dancing with former 
Ambassador Kozak. 
 
4. (SBU) Obozrevatel concluded the article with a 
speculative editorial comment.  The paper asks why the 
Belarusian BKGB did not control "Anastasia's" relationship 
with Martin; wonders about the "coincidence" that Martin 
was in Belarus October 2000 to October 2001, during 
Lukashenko's presidential campaign; asks what would happen 
if U.S. Marines start smuggling money into the country, in 
violation of Belarusian law, and suggested asking the U.S. 
Embassy about such activities; and questions, "how are 
millions of dollars mentioned by George Krol in the 
interview in the newspaper's last issue to be brought to 
Belarus?"  It concludes by describing the paper's 
unsuccessful attempts to contact Ambassador Kozak for 
comment. 
 
 
GOB Responds Over the Top 
------------------------- 
 
5. (SBU) On August 26, the day the article was released, 
three Members of Belarus' Parliament accused the USG of 
illegally supporting Belarus' opposition [the three were 
Nikolay Cherginets, Sergey Kastyan, and Sergey Gaidukevich, 
three of the more outspoken MPs].  The MFA's spokesman 
officially stated the GOB is investigating the allegations 
raised in the article. 
 
6. (SBU) The evening news on Belarusian state television 
August 26 and 28 covered the Obozrevatel article and its 
allegations against the U.S. Embassy.  The August 28 
broadcast included interviews with Colonel Yury Shcharbakov 
of the State Border Guard Committee, who announced that the 
number of diplomatic vehicles crossing Belarus' borders 
goes up during political campaigns, and with Alexey 
 
MINSK 00001023  002 OF 002 
 
 
Zakharov, deputy chief of counterintelligence for the BKGB, 
who said Belarusian girls can have relations with foreign 
diplomats, but the BKGB would not tolerate diplomats 
breaking the law.  The commentator cited documents found on 
the laptop of Slovak Pontis activist Balasz Jarabik, seized 
while he crossed the Belarusian border in January, that 
allegedly show how the USG and U.S. NGOs aid the 
opposition. 
 
7. (SBU) The commentator also raises: the deportation of a 
U.S. diplomat, Serge Aleksandrov, for his work with the 
opposition; the deportation of a German diplomat for 
allegedly using cocaine with his homosexual lover; the 
deportation of a Czech diplomat for allegedly having 
homosexual contact with minors; and a former U.S. Embassy 
assistant Defense Attache, Bruno Sanchez, who allegedly had 
sex with underage Belarusian prostitutes.  [Note: these 
other allegations are all standard fare Belarusian state TV 
dredges up from time to time to smear the West and Western 
diplomats in general.  These film clips of Sanchez and the 
German diplomat were also featured in a Panaroma show last 
autumn about the West's export of democracy.] 
 
 
UK Diplomatic Vehicle Stopped 
----------------------------- 
 
8. (C) The United Kingdom's Charge told Poloff that a UK 
Embassy vehicle was stopped as it tried to cross the border 
from Belarus into Lithuania at 2200 August 27.  Four border 
guards and a supposed BKGB officer demanded to search the 
vehicle.  The driver called the UK Admin Officer, who 
refused to allow any search.  After nearly an hour of 
waiting, the border guards apologized, but stated they 
wanted to search the vehicle "because there has been an 
incident."  [Note: two U.S. Embassy POV's crossed into 
Lithuania and returned August 27 with no problem.] 
 
 
Who is "Anastasia"? 
------------------- 
 
9. (C) According to Post Consular records, "Anastasia" is 
really Tatiana Karavaeva, born 13 August 1982.  She was 
denied a visa in May 2001 after Post received information 
she had worked as a stripper and/or prostitute in Moscow. 
This was overcome for lack of evidence and she was issued a 
J-1 in June 2001 to work as a lifeguard, and a B1/B2 in 
December 2001 to visit Martin in California. 
 
10. (C) Comment: The spontaneity of "Anastasia's" offer to 
provide information to the press after reading the 
Ambassador's interview is belied by the ready photos of the 
Marine vehicles, quick reaction by the MFA and 
parliamentarians, and immediate replay on state TV. 
Clearly it is part of the orchestrated smear campaign 
against the West.  While an ostensibly independent 
newspaper, Obozrevatel has always been pro-Lukashenko and 
pro-GOB.  Post expects the frequency and severity of such 
slanderous reporting to increase as the 2006 presidential 
elections draw closer.  Furthermore, if the MFA spokesman's 
statement is any guide, we can expect the authorities to 
use such provocations as a pretext to take active measures 
against us.  Post has no plans to dignify these allegations 
with a direct response, but will raise the issue with the 
MFA and continue our efforts to get our message to as many 
of the Belarusian people as possible. 
 
 
PHLIPOT