A change of government via a so-called velvet revolution is being prepared in Belarus. The sensational revelation was made by Federal Security Service [FSB] head Nikolay Patrushev in Russia's lower house of parliament [State Duma]. The government question time took three hours. In addition to the counterintelligence chief, the foreign minister [Sergey Lavrov] spoke to the deputies. Our correspondent Maksim Rogalenkov reports in a live two-way from outside the State Duma building.
[Correspondent] The moment it became known that the foreign minister and the FSB chief were coming to the State Duma for question time it immediately became clear that they would speak about Russia's security and external threats of some sort. Sergey Lavrov's initial remarks confirmed this. He said that the moment Russia's socioeconomic indicators became more or less even, forces determined to keep Russia's competitiveness low appeared abroad at once. Moreover, when Patrushev began to speak, he said that those forces are acting in the worst traditions of the Cold War. Let us listen to what else the FSB director said.
[Patrushev] Among other things, our opponents are purposefully and consistently seeking to weaken Russian influence within the Commonwealth of Independent States and on the world scene in general. The latest developments in Georgia, Ukraine, Kirgizia [Kyrgyzstan] unequivocally confirm this.
[Correspondent] What is more, Patrushev said even within Russia what he termed non-traditional methods of Western intelligence services are being employed. They are acting through international non-governmental organizations. He even listed some organizations that have come under special surveillance from the FSB and are being investigated. Those are the US Peace Corps, the UK's Merlin, the Saudi Red Crescent Society and Kuwait's Social Reform Society. Furthermore, Patrushev said, and I will read this out to avoid misquoting the FSB director, the directors of the CIS representative offices of the American International Republican Institute gathered in the group's Bratislava headquarters in April and decided as follows.
[Patrushev] In 2005, five million dollars has been earmarked to implement this non-governmental organization's programmes to finance opposition movements in Belarus. At the moment, the issue of recruiting Ukrainian orange functionaries to train Belarusian opposition activists and creating a network of youth opposition organizations is being considered.
[Correspondent] After that, Patrushev said that border guards have succeeded in detaining some 5,000 border violators and also spoke about economic obstruction to Russian goods.
When the foreign minister took the floor after him, he softened the FSB director's remarks somewhat and said that there are more points where, for instance, the USA agrees with Russia than those points where they differ. However, he said the situation for Russia is not too good as far as foreign policy is concerned.
In addition, the foreign minister said the CIS as it is now does not have too brilliant prospects and CIS countries are currently busy searching for new definitions and new methods of work. And sure enough, Lavrov was immediately asked: What about Georgia? Just today, the Georgian parliament speaker [Nino Burjanadze] said that in mid-May Russian military bases may find themselves outlawed. Let us hear what Lavrov replied.
[Lavrov] If steps are taken to create a threat to our bases from the point of view of the lives of Russian nationals, their normal vital supplies, let alone a threat of armaments and ammunitions at those bases falling into the wrong hands - [statement incomplete as received, see below]
[Correspondent] After the sitting, when Lavrov came out to talk to reporters, he was asked to specify what he meant and what kind of measures Russia would take. Then he replied as a true diplomat.
[Lavrov] I hope the fairly emotional, shrill cries we have been hearing do not take the form of real policy and we do not have to leave the negotiating table.

Source: NTV Mir, Moscow, in Russian 1500 gmt 12 May 05
BBC Mon FS1 FsuPol ws/pf