July 28, Pozirk. Belarus’ permanent representative to the United Nations, Valancin Rybakoŭ, told reporters today that he meets with US Special Envoy for Belarus John Coale on a regular basis and hopes that those meetings would bear “visible fruit in the foreseeable future.”
According to Rybakoŭ, he sees Coale every seven or 10 days and other officials in Washington “when necessary” to discuss “the next steps that both sides can and must take after his last visit.” It was a reference to Coale’s visit on March 19 that resulted in the release of 250 Belarus’ political prisoners in exchange for a sanction relief.
Rybakoŭ indicated the possibility of “new visits” but would not say when they could take place.
Several days ago, Washington put forward “new proposals” for Alaksandar Łukašenka, and the Belarusian leader has studied them and “given respective directives” to agencies, he said.
Rybakoŭ said that expected to meet with Coale in New York in a few days to pass him “a message” from Łukašenka. “Let’s wait for the result,” he added.
Rybakoŭ made his remarks to the state media after talking to Łukašenka, who expressed optimism about the prospects of relations with the United States.
In total, more than 400 political prisoners have been released as a result of talks between Minsk and Washington. In exchange, the United States is gradually lifting its sanctions against the Łukašenka regime.
In particular, Washington has dropped its restrictive measures against Biełinvestbank, the Development Bank of Belarus, the Ministry of Finance, the Biełaruśkalij potash giant and Belarusian Potash Company, and Belarus’ national airline Biełavija.
Last week, the US Office for Foreign Assets Control removed restrictions against BEL-KAP-STEEL LLC, a Maiami-based company co-owned by Belarusian Steel Works, without disclosing the reasons. Washington imposed sanctions on BEL-KAP-STEEL in 2023 along with restrictions on the BMZ, which owns a 50-percent stake in it.
Žłobin-based Belarusian Steel Works is under international sanctions for supplying Russia with products used in its war against Ukraine.
