EU sanctions against Iran can hit tough on Belarus
- 30.07.2010, 13:32
A suspicious silence reigning in Belarus concerning the issue of sanctions against Iran, has already stirred interest of the US and European officials.
The resolution of the UN Security Council on imposing sanctions against Iran has not drawn an adequate response in Belarus. A few indistinct statements have been made that the sanctions would not affect the cooperation of Minsk with this country, and the subject was dropped then.
Meanwhile, as noted by AFN, the Belarusian authorities call Iran one of its strategic partners. Two banks with Iranian capital are registered in Belarus; a number of large projects are implemented in the sector which is mentioned in the UN resolution, and cooperation with this country in the military sphere raises eyebrows.
The sanctions of the European Union against Iran include ban on investments and technology transfer to Iran in the sphere of gas and oil production, as well as in the oil processing industry. Besides, the EU is to tightens control over bank transactions of Iranian banks, the airspace of the EU would be closed for Iranian cargo airplanes, there will be new limitations on activities of the state maritime traffic company; export of dual use items to Iran is banned.
As it was reported, because of the unilateral sanctions of the US imposed earlier than the Resolution of the UN Security Council, the world oil giants have abandoned business in Iran.
Belarus is carrying out seismic survey at Iranian oil and gas deposits, and also is getting ready for launching commercial oil production at Jofeir oilfield. These projects are implemented with participation of the Belarusian state-owned company Belarusneft, which accounts are opened not in the banks with Iranian capital, but in the largest state banks. And financing of this project has been carried out on account of the loans of European financial structures until recently.
It is strange that the Belarusian authorities are not concerned by the situation with their strategic partner, and a re getting ready for Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s visit to Iran where commercial oil production launching ceremony is to take place.
Meanwhile, such a suspicious silence reigning in Belarus around the issue of sanctions against Iran, has already stirred interest of the US and European officials. After a while, the European Union is to get under special control not only deals of the banks with Iranian capital in Belarus, but all transactions of the bank sector of the country with Iranian partners, and authorities of the third countries would start inspection of Belarusian cargo sent to Iran, having all rights for that under the Resolution of the UN Security Council.
Even now, amid the economic sanctions of the US against Belarus, Belarusian petrochemical industry enterprises and banks providing services to them have a tough time, and the situation can only aggravate because of the total suspicion to all operations of the Belarusian bank sector and actions of the authorities.
And no statements by Prakapovich and even Lukashenka can clear the country of this suspicion. Belarus can avoid justified or unjustified charges of cooperation with Iran in the nuclear sphere and arms deliveries only in the case of publishing a clear and understandable statement of the Belarusian Security Council with the exhaustive list of all projects implemented in Iran regardless of all “For Official Use Only” and military secrecy labels.
Otherwise the EU and US sanctions against Iran can hit tough on Belarusian economy, which situation couldn't be worse as it is.