There is no evil without some good in it. After Russia's bullying of Belarus over energy prices and a forced takeover of its pipelines by Gazprom, Lukashenka is warming up to the West, releasing political prisoners and promising free and fair elections.

It will be interesting to see how far the liberalization of "the last dictatorship in Europe" goes...

http://www.kyivpost.com/world/29790

World

Belarus president urges West to accept election

Yesterday, 20:22 (Wire reports)

MINSK, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko, in newspaper interviews on Thursday, urged the West to recognize his country's parliamentary election later this month and work to improve relations.

Lukashenko, in power for 14 years, is accused by the United States and the European Union of rigging elections, jailing opponents and closing down free media. No election held in the former Soviet republic since the mid-1990s has been deemed free or fair.

But he has sought improved ties in the past year after quarrelling with Russia over energy prices. Western countries say the election will be a test of his commitment to democracy.

"We want you to accept us, to endorse and recognise our election," Lukashenko told the Financial Times and Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in comments released by Belarussian news agencies before publication.

"We do not want to talk to you across the Iron Curtain which you have erected on the borders of Belarus."

The United States and the EU have imposed travel banks and financial sanctions on Belarus.

But since Belarussian courts last month released the last of detainees deemed political prisoners, Washington and the EU have said ties could be much improved provided the Sept. 28 election is conducted freely and fairly.

Election officials have registered far more opposition candidates for the vote than in previous elections and hundreds of observers have been invited to attend.

But opposition groups are still demanding greater representation on commissions that oversee the vote count.

"As soon as you said that the parliamentary election was important to you, we opened the country to you," Lukashenko was quoted as telling the two newspapers.

Riot police on Tuesday dispersed an unauthorised protest by several dozen opposition activists in Minsk's main square.

Lukashenko has said before that he would like to see opposition members, shut out of parliament since a 2004 election, win seats if only to temper Western criticism. (Editing by Richard Balmforth)