BELARUSIAN PRESIDENT FEELS EXPANDED RFE/RL BROADCASTS ARE 'UNFRIENDLY STEP'...

Alyaksandr Lukashenka said on 8 August that the expansion of broadcasts by RFE/RL to Belarus is a direct interference in the internal affairs of the country, ITAR-TASS reported. "This is an extremely unfriendly step with regard to Belarus. They are putting massive pressure on the population ahead of the presidential elections," he said. RFE/RL's Belarusian Service expanded its broadcasting to Belarus on 6 August, one month ahead of the 9 September presidential elections. Meanwhile, Lukashenka expressed confidence that if he is re-elected, "diplomatic and political relations ...[with] the West will normalize within several months." He added that "the West is beginning to understand that it should move from confrontation with Belarus to cooperation," and he expressed confidence that this understanding will grow.