Today is October 2, 2008.... I have been back home for 6 months. My Fellowship was tragically cut short due to the deteriorating relationship between the United States and Belarus. It was a very traumatic experience, which is why it has taken me so long to write about it. To better explain what happened, I will post a series of news excerpts beginning with this one from April 7, 2008.
U.S. Ambassador to Belarus Expelled
Belarus has expelled the United States ambassador, after a row over travel restrictions imposed on its president by Washington.
The decision was also prompted by U.S. sanctions imposed on the country's state-controlled oil-processing and chemicals company, Belneftekhim.
The Belarusian Foreign Ministry announced at the same time that it was recalling its own ambassador to the U.S.
A White House spokesman described the expulsion as "deeply disappointing".
The United States - along with the European Union - has restricted the travel of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko and members of his inner circle, as well as imposing economic sanctions.
Both the U.S. and the E.U. have demanded that President Lukashenko frees political prisoners, and allows more democratic regimes, before normal relations can be restored.
Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7283847.stm
