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Belarusian police arrested two leaders of an ethnic Polish cultural group on Tuesday after seizing the group's headquarters, raising already heightened tensions between the neighboring countries.
The former president and vice-chief of the Union of Poles were arrested in the western Belarusian city of Grodno, according to Angelica Boris, head of the group representing ethnic Poles.
Poland's Foreign Ministry declined comment on the arrests. Last week, it recalled its ambassador from the capital, Minsk.
The former president of the cultural organization, Tadeusz Gawin, was sentenced to 15 days in jail.
Police also remained outside the group's headquarters for a fifth day on Tuesday. Police seized the building last week, temporarily detaining several of the organization's leaders.
The Belarusian ambassador in Warsaw said he had been urged by his government to ease the friction that has been worsening over the last weeks.
Source: Ryan Lucas, Newsday Inc.; August 2, 2005; http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-poland-belarus,0,4851355.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines
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