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Head of Belarusian National Republic government puzzled by Sannikaw's criticism of Vilnius memorandum

Ivonka Survilla, the Canadian-based president of the BNR Rada (government in exile of the 1918 Belarusian National Republic), on Friday expressed surprise at former presidential candidate Andrey Sannikaw's critical remarks about the memorandum recently signed by Belarusian opposition politicians, BelaPAN said.

The memorandum declaring the intention of Belarusian opposition forces to defend Belarus' independence was signed in Vilnius on November 3 during a meeting between the leaders of Belarusian opposition organizations and Dr. Survilla.

The memorandum provides for the signatories to coordinate their activities for the sake of securing the release of all political prisoners, an end to the persecution of government opponents, freedom of the media, and free elections.

In a recent interview, Mr. Sannikaw, leader of an opposition group called European Belarus who has recently been granted political asylum in Britain, condemned the memorandum as illiterate, harmful and dangerous.

"I examined this memorandum professionally and must say that documents are not made like this," said Mr. Sannikaw, a former deputy foreign minister. "Those who read it could notice that this document was simply illiterate. And I believe that it is also dangerous because there're things in it that are directed not at defending the independence of Belarus but against it."

In addition, a representative of European Belarus was not allowed to attend the November 3 meeting, Mr. Sannikaw claimed.

As Dr. Survilla commented in the Belarus Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty commented during a question-and-answer session hosted by the Belarus service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, she also has the necessary experience to assess documents dealing with international relations. "I do not for a second doubt the competence of those who worked on the draft, which wasn't one or two people," she said.

According to her, participants at the meeting, "whose education is also beyond doubt," suggested reasonable corrections to the memorandum, which helped make the final draft more acceptable to everyone.

Dr. Survilla expressed hope that "Mr. Sannikaw's expressive remarks are a result of his emotional state caused by the difficult situation he has found himself in with his family being held hostage in Minsk."

Mr. Sannikaw received a draft of the memorandum several days before the meeting but failed to put forward any proposals, she said. He was even invited to participate in the meeting through Skype but refused to do that, she said.

The BNR Rada calls on political parties and civil society organizations, including European Belarus, to cooperate to defend Belarus' independence and restore democracy in Belarus, Dr. Survilla said.