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Republic of Belarus: After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place. ...Belarus' economy in 2003 posted 6.1 percent growth and is likely to continue expanding through 2004, albeit at a slower growth rate. The Belarusian economy in 2004 is likely to be hampered by high inflation, persistent trade deficits, and ongoing rocky relations with Russia, Belarus' largest trading partner and energy supplier. Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of "market socialism." In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed administrative controls over prices and currency exchange rates and expanded the state's right to intervene in the management of private enterprises. In addition, businesses have been subject to pressure on the part of central and local governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, retroactive application of new business regulations, and arrests of "disruptive" businessmen and factory owners. A wide range of redistributive policies has helped those at the bottom of the ladder. For the time being, Belarus remains self-isolated from the West and its open-market economies. -- The CIA World Factbook: Belarus Area of Belarus: 207,600 sq km slightly smaller than Kansas Population of Belarus: 10,310,520 July 2004 estimate Languages of Belarus: Belarusian, Russian, other Belarus Capital: Minsk Belarus Reference Articles and Links MSN Encarta reference Governments on the WWW links Travelocity Free Real-Time Airline Flight Tracking |
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The New York Times, July 14, 1920:MINSK IS CAPTURED BY BOLSHEVIKIWarsaw Orders Vilna Held at All Costs and Women Join City's Defenders.TWO RED GENERALS KILLED Budenny's Chief Aid, General Matowski, Reported Captured by the Polish Lancers. AMERICANS USE GOTHAS Kosciusko Squadron is Fighting Effectively Against Cavalry on the Southern Front. The communiqué also announces the capture of the town of Sventslany, thirty-five miles north of Dvinsk and fifty miles northeast of Vilna. The statement continues: "In the direction of Usohitsa we captured a section of the railway from Gukhevitch station to Bobrovka station. In the Rovno region our cavalry, pursuing the enemy, occupied Olyka village. In the direction of Tarnopol we occupied the station of Charay-Ostroff (fifty miles east of Tarnopol), capturing an armored train." WARSWAW, July 13 (Associated Press).--The loss of the city of Minsk by the Poles is announced in today's official communiqué from Polish Army Headquarters. The Bolsheviki occupied the city after a desperate all-night battle, the statement says. Hard fighting is continuing in the region of Molodechno, the Poles retreating step by step with strenuous resistance. The Boshevik losses, says the communiqué, have been heavy south and east of Minsk, where the Red 8th Division was completely defeated and the 66th infantry annihilated. In Polesia a Red column was beaten back. The enemy, continues the statement, is passive after the defeat near Rovno Saturday. Women are reported to be taking up arms for the defense of Vilna, toward which the Bolsheviki are driving along the railway from the northeast. Capture of the city would give the Bolsheviki communication by railroad with East Prussia and sever Poland from the Baltic States. Military supplies are being evacuated. The severest fighting since the Polish withdrawal began, with much bayonet work, is reported in the region of Ovruch, south of the Pripet marshes, in two dispatches from the front today. Two Bolshevist Generals, Knatjinski, a division commander, and Orysow, Chief of Staff, have been killed as well as 400 other Bolsheviki in this region. General Matowski, a former officer of the Russian regular army, who has been the right hand of General Budenny, the Bolshevist cavalry leader, is reported to have been captured in the region of Rovno, where Polish lancers clashed with Bolshevist cavalry, cutting off several Bolshevist detachments. The members of the Kosciusko aerial squadron, composed almost entirely of Americans, are using bombing Gothas along the southern front against the forces of General Budenny. These Gothas, which recently arrived, are the largest airplanes in use on any front and have proved particularly effective against cavalry. The first day they were used one Gotha, piloted by an American with an American bomber, put out of commission two Bolshevist armored trains. General Budenny himself had a narrow escape from the bombing while riding at the head of his forces. Although American relief workers have been forced to flee from cities and towns near the battle lines, the children who have been aided will not be permitted to suffer, according to advices received by American relief officials here. The work of providing for the destitute has been taken up by Bolshevist organizations in areas wrested from the Poles. The American relief organization has in Poland supplies worth $5,000,000, and is continuing to feed 1,100,000 persons daily. It has no intention to cease operations until compelled to do so by the Bolshevist advance. Two hundred thousand children formerly cared for by the Americans are now within the Bolshevist lines or in danger zones. Efforts to organize a chapter of the American Legion in this city have been abandoned, owing to the opposition of some Americans. It is said that the organization may be perfected after the present crisis has passed. |
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