lukashenko ordered his k.g.b.hugs to suppress activists and supporters who gathered in protest on election night in independent square in downtown minsk last year. six of the seven political opponents who ran against lukashenko and more than 600 of their followers were arrested. several of the presidential candidates who were being held incommunicado still today face charges that can carry up to 15 years in jail. their crime? they ran against him and they lost. they get to go to jail now. since then lukashenko's k.g.b. continued daily raids on the homes and offices of those with suspected ties to democratic parties and organizations, human rights organizations and what remains of the independent media in byelarus. lukashenko ignored election monitor reports questioning the credibility of the election and tphaeurbt demands to re -- and international demands to release the political prisoners. he follows the old soviet play book. his government tried to blame outside forces and other countries, everyone but himself,

that are patient of president lukashenko has already suffered a serious blow i think that president lukashenkohas made a big political mistake precisely on december nineteenth when after. after the presidential elections he started that down on a position he lost his temper i think he shouldn't have done this thing because by doing this he has undermined the credibility he's more just attempts to show that there is. any movement towards democracy let us be frank the. last election campaign was more democratic in other wants but these actions during several days he completely destroyed what he was creating for yourself so he's actually quite logical if he doesn't throw a position just just to do act independently or partly independent that they would be no no way just to integrate into world community and this is also the question of political so while for him hi how he's going to so why totally isolated. in a couple of minutes a story of israelis desperate for their country to work towards peace with palestinians but who find themselves facing growing condemnation for their nonmilitary stance

boycotted the inauguration of belarus's incumbent leader alexander lukashenko as he was sworn in for his fourth all twenty seven member states refused to send representatives to the ceremony in response to claims that the december election was rigged the result spawned violent reaction which the opposition the design to visit journalists at times by police and in response the usual pace sanctions including a found on pieces in a freeze on bank accounts belonging to senior government officials let's get more on this now from that is that all the numbers vanish from the common newspaper many thousands being here mr. know if these sanctions do come into force as these promising all this not only further isolate from the west well european union leaders keep on saying that this. target. leadership corporate top executives officials but not common men but as you know from from the histories of the bitter irony is that not only does it matter to the street who is suffering from sanctions in practical terms i think we. can expect. different programs you see involvement to go with european i

called for new sanctions against deloris over its violent treatment of the opposition president lukashenko has said that he would retaliate if any action was taken against the country the e.u. boycotted his inauguration as with many countries opting to distance themselves from the ceremony. well you're with r.t. and still to come on the program this week marked holocaust remembrance day find out why some believe that many questions still remain unanswered over what exactly took place during the nazi occupation of europe. russia and the us are all set to begin scrapping their deployed nuclear arsenals or the new strategic arms reduction treaty was finally ratified by both sides of this week and should come into force within a matter of days it was signed by presidents medvedev and obama back in april so what took so long to get it started. explains. after more than a year of hard line negotiating and ten more months of internal dispute it's finally done moscow and washington. then the federation council gave the green light now that it's signed by the president. only a formal exchange of ra

many more have been freed despite being accused of instigating a violent outbreak after alexander lukashenko won the country's disputed presidential elections six hundred people were arrested and all some of them were badly beaten the european union has been urging voters to release members of the opposition who've been detained for political reasons they demanded the country investigate the abusive actions of security forces against demonstrators instead. the parliamentary assembly of the council of europe has called for new sanctions against della reese over its violent treatment of the opposition president lukashenko has said he would retaliate if any action was taken against the country the e.u. boycotted his inauguration with many countries opting to distance themselves from the ceremonies. russia and the us are all set to begin scrapping their deployed nuclear arsenals the new strategic arms reduction treaty was finally ratified by both sides this week and should come into force within a matter of days it was signed by presidents medvedev and obama back in april so what took him so lon

the appreciation of president lukashenko has already suffered a serious blow i think that president lukashenko has made a big political mistake precisely on december nineteenth when hours after. after the presidential elections he started that crackdown on opposition he lost his temper i think he shouldn't have done this thing because by doing this he has undermined the credibility of his more this attempts to show that there is. any movement towards democracy let us be frank the. last election campaign was more democratic in compared to other wants but brave these actions during several days he completely destroyed what he was creating from self so he's actually read quite a large part if he doesn't allow a position just just to to act independently or partly indifferent that they would be no no way just for to integrate into world community and. this is also the question of political so while for him how he is going to so why i totally isolated what do you think president bush and his next move will be always good to read pinion and you can voice it on our home page r.t. dot com. let me brin

lukashenko was confirmed in those elections last month. there were accompanied by a great deal of violence, a government crackdown on protesters who took issue with the way the government handled those elections. we can expect to hear a clear response from germany because the acquisitions are so appointed. we will hehe their response being coordinated with germany's european partners. >> that was harry martin, speaking to us earlier. new elections will be held on ireland on march 11. the government is on fire since it accepted a massive bailout from the european union and the imf. prime minister brian cowen has struggled to hold his government together. six cabinet members resigned this week alone. the political situation is described as the last days of the worst government in the history of the state. earlier on, we wer talki aboupresident hu jintao's visit to the u.s. and chinese currency was a big topic. >> i have been talking business, but also economics. the currency issue remains. manipulation by chinese authorities was a prickly to

the new year has started with new challenges for russian foreign policy alexander lukashenko won the presidential elections in bello whose and harshly suppressed opposition rallies shortly after europe is unhappy and is preparing sanctions against minsk moscow has so far of frain from any criticism but has stopped pumping oil into the country however the biggest issue is the start treaty ratification by the russian duma the document is called the hallmarks of president obama's reset policy and the biggest success in recent russian u.s. relations. because chairman welcome to the show do you agree that this that the the the question of the ratification of the new arms deal with the united states is the main is the biggest foreign affairs issue at least for for for russia this this month definitely years and this for two reasons. one is that. this treaty he's to replace the previous one start one to eat it reach was conducted ninety ninety one and the latest the show the soviet union existence and that previous treated included not just the united states and the soviet union later on ru

retaliation for the conduct of presidential elections one in a landslide by president alexander lukashenko which international observers said were rigged the vote comes just before his inauguration and also in response to a brutal crackdown on protesters that followed his win european parliament doesn't have the power to impose the sanctions itself but it awaits a meeting of an e.u. leaders at the end of the month among whom support is growing for action. shango was dubbed europe's last a dictator has ordered retaliatory measures be prepared should the e.u. strike against his regime or instructions have been placed on the bell or russian leader before british the richard how would relieve the pressure on him this time will be more intense. this is a man and a regime which is seeking to suppress human rights creates free expression by civil society political opposition and what we need to do is to be seen to say that the european union and instructional community is for change that we will act and the whether it's today tomorrow or sunday in the near future there will be consequences on thi

first of all president lukashenko arrived hands and hand with his young son do you think that this went anyway and helping to correct his somewhat damaged image i think it's quite the contrary because the president so all of the war whose mother is little known and. who. clearly. sort of views assist possible success. that was a very big new uses for a lot of people in the country so it probably means that the question remains if it remains defiant he wants to say that i did everything right and whether you wake me or not i'm going to be here with my son and talking about the fires before the election we thought your position in bellary skating really our president did levels of freedom a move that was seen by many in the west and here in russia as a move towards democracy however after the election mobs of that opposition then found themselves behind bars so while the mixed messages being given are hair. well it's very difficult to predict what mr gresham group going to do next they bought the ruler says there. was a board informed to board the results of the preliminary leaving three

traveling to the european union e u foreign ministers have agreed upon sanctions against alexander lukashenko with a response to a crackdown on protests after last month's presidential election hundreds of people were detained during a rally against the vote which the opposition in european losses say was raped one hundred sixty other batteries officials have had their bank accounts frozen along with a visa ban as part of the european sanctions minsk has already pledged an adequate response to the measures. following the recent shooting of congresswoman gabrielle giffords americans are once again for the right to bear arms critics say although part of the constitution gun ownership has become an obsession in the country with almost as many private weapons as people are used or list to report. unlike many other countries in the united states guns can be found everywhere from retail stores this particular want to six hundred dollars my personal a springfield x d forty five two rallies it's a river ten twenty two it's easy to air you to the hands of politicians running for office commodores and

representatives of the european union are boycotting alexander lukashenko as inauguration for his fourth term as the president of the roost according to a spokesman all twenty seven member states have decided to distance themselves from the ceremony this comes after the european parliament passed a resolution calling for sanctions against the by the russian leadership is a response to the violence that erupted after the same bridge and opposition leaders and activists were attacked on national service saying vote is rid of the sanctions and through the ban on these is of the freeze on e.u. bank accounts belonging to senior government officials he used foreign ministers are set to reach a final decision that's routine into the snow and the shingles on retaliatory measures to be prepared should move against his regime this is the first time that the russian space restrictions but some experts say this round will be more intense . this is a man and a regime which is seeking to suppress human rights creates free expression by civil society political opposition and what we need to do is to be

represent the european union have boycotted alexander lukashenko inauguration for his fourth term as the president about a ruse according to a spokesman all twenty seven member states decided to distance themselves from the ceremony well this comes out of the european parliament passed a resolution calling for sanctions against the ballet russian leadership it's a response to the violence that erupted after the december elections opposition leaders and activists were times while international observers played the vote was rigged the close sanctions include a bound them visas and a freeze on e.u. bank accounts belonging to see government officials these foreign ministers the sets to reach a final decision at a meeting later this town. has ended with toilets and measures to be head should be used against this regime it isn't the first time the fellow russian leader has faced restrictions but some experts say this round will be more intense. and a regime which is seeking to suppress human rights groups free expression by civil society political opposition and that what we need to do is

better russian leadership it follows december's disputed election which saw president alexander lukashenko off europe's last dictator stay in power in the protests the fall of the vote six hundred people were arrested some of whom were badly beaten along the best political analysts gloria says the e.u. will not apply financial pressure on batteries he would probably listen when the sanctions hurt where it hurts most and that economy however the chief european diplomat catherine ashton has already indicated that the european bloc is not interested in imposing sanctions that would hurt the economy and thereby their livelihood belorussians when do european union openly says that they are going to fund students in media outlets for a position and then he's actually using these for his own advantage cheese thriving on these statements and saying that look i was right all along these are agents of the west and they are trying to unseat me but in reality things are not as black and white as a look at who probably would have won the election is just his stubbornness to give more democratic opening

boycotted the inauguration of incumbent leader alexander lukashenko he was sworn in for his fourth term earlier this week the president arrived at the ceremony in the capital minsk hand in hand with his son twenty seven member states refused to send representatives in response to claims that the symbol election results sparked a violent reaction which saw opposition leaders activists and journalists attacked by the police to the e.u. reacted by proposing sanctions of the visas and a freeze on bank accounts belonging to senior government officials this is the first time the by the russian leaders face restrictions but some experts say will be more intense. and a regime which is seeking to suppress human rights groups free expression by civil society political opposition and we need to do is to be seen to say to the european union and the international community for change that we were right and whether it's today tomorrow or sunday in the near future there will be consequences on this program russian regime we want. to be part of the eastern partnership with its very green country as an

president who won the election to respond mentions a brutal trial thousands of protesters alexander lukashenkoeurope's last dictator has been placed under sanctions before has continued his policies of that change i spoke to european parliament member richard how it too told me that the e.u. could no longer sit by this time the pressure made by the russian president will be much more intense. this is a man and a regime which is seeking to suppress human rights groups free expression bicycle society political or position and what we. needs to be seen to say that the european union and international community is for change that we will act and whether it's today tomorrow or sunday in the near future there will be consequences on this by the russian regime otherwise we latin down to human rights groups political prisoners who are suffering today in the past they were very blunt approach to start all over nothing you know what we are saying today or writing on today a small sanctions financial sanctions against himself or others in his regime who are not at the moment siding with people on the fam

elections and made numerous violations in a brutal plant and thousands of protesters alexander lukashenkoubbed europe's last dictator has been placed under sanctions before but has continued his policies without change like this is the right gentleman now european parliament member richard have it told me that the e.u. could no longer sit by and that this time the pressure on the belarusian president will be much more intense let's listen in to what he had to say again. this is a man and a regime which is seeking to suppress human rights creates free expression by civil society political opposition and what we need to do is to be seeing to say that the european union and international community is will change that we will act and the whether it's today tomorrow or sunday in the near future there will be consequences on this by the russian regime otherwise we are letting down the human rights groups and political prisoners who are suffering today in the past they were very blunt approach to start all over nothing you know what we are saying today overturned today a small sanctions financia