US lifts sanctions on Belavia, but nuances remain
Illustrative photo: US lifts restrictions on Belavia (facebook.com/belavia)
The United States has lifted restrictions on the Belarusian airline Belavia. However, the company must comply with a set of rules, according to the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS).
According to the regulator’s order, Belavia has received official permission to operate US-made Boeing 737 aircraft.
The document specifies that this applies to eight specific aircraft. The authorization covers not only flight operations but also maintenance, repair, modernization, as well as export, re-export, and domestic transfer of certain components and materials related to these planes.
At the same time, restrictions remain for flights to Russia, temporarily occupied Crimea, the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as Iran, Syria, Cuba, and North Korea. Flights to these regions are only allowed after individual application review and issuance of a separate license, the US regulator’s decision emphasizes.
It is also noted that the authorization does not cover the aircraft with the registration EW001PA, which is used by the family of the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko.
In addition, the US has prohibited the transport of any goods on these planes that could be used to support Russian military operations.
Announcement of sanctions removal
Earlier, on September 11, US presidential representative John Cole announced plans to lift sanctions on Belavia.
Cole emphasized that this move is only the beginning. There are also plans for the US embassy to return to Belarus.
