Martsev: It will be easier for Belarus to talk to Obama than Bush

The United States is not to change its foreign policy towards Belarus, but Obama could be more flexible in negotiations.

Democrat candidate Barack Obama won the presidential elections to become the first ever black president. Who will he become for Belarus-US relations?

John McCain has a very clear stance regarding Belarus. He endorsed the 2004 Belarus Democracy Act, which introduced sanctions against Belarusian officials and enterprises. Belarusian opposition members also know John McCain very well. Alexander Milinkevich told European Radio for Belarus that they had met on numerous occasions. Political commentator Roman Yakovlevski also hinted that McCain had close contacts with Andrei Sannikov.

Obama still remains a “dark horse” for Belarus. Commentator Peter Marstev reckons that US’s foreign policy does not change much when presidents change. However, Obama will be more flexible than George Bush in negotiations.

Marstev: On the one hand, Barack Obama will follow the American policy which does not change greatly regardless of who is the president. That’s why it will be a similarly tough job for Belarus to find a common language with the US administration. Yet, it could be easier, because this is a new man who possibly has other approaches. To a larger extent, everything depends on the Belarusian authorities, not on the Americans. I think that it is easier to talk to Obama than Bush. He is more flexible”.

Martsev also says that Obama is unlikely to abolish the Belarus Democracy Act initiated by his former presidential opponent.

“It was passed against the Belarusian political system, which has not changed. I think the bill could be abolished with time, when the Belarusian regime demonstrates that it is ready for changes. I don’t see any other reasons why it should be abolished. Besides, US normally do not abolish such bills quickly”, Marstev says.

Celebrating his historic victory, Barfack Obama said that the change had come to America. But for Belarusians, there will be hardly any change.