Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-10-08-Speech-3-111"
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"en.20081008.17.3-111"2
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"Madam President, I am speaking in this debate on behalf of my colleague Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
In the meantime, the Commission will make available all its expertise in order to strengthen contacts with the Belarusian administration in sectors of shared interest such as energy, environment, customs and transport. These contacts have demonstrated their worth by promoting the development of networks between persons and between administrations.
In parallel we will stick doggedly to our support to civil society, helping Belarusian NGOs, promoting development of an independent press and the European Humanities University in exile in Vilnius. I promise to keep up our effort and to strengthen our links with civil society.
In conclusion, Belarus, a country at the heart of Europe and a neighbour of three of our Member States, is faced with a historic choice: either it takes the necessary steps towards democracy and real independence, or it resigns itself to stagnation and growing dependence on one country.
It remains our wish to welcome Belarus as a full partner in our European Neighbourhood Policy and the future Eastern Europe Partnership. I therefore call for your support so that we can determine the right approach that will, at this crucial time for the stability of our continent, encourage Belarus to make real progress towards democracy and respect for human rights.
The situation in Belarus is in a state of flux and calls for a measured and strategic response from the European Union. At the present time we are faced with a complex reality.
To begin with, it is very clear that we were disappointed with the parliamentary election on 28 September and the way it was conducted. The election did not match up to international standards or to our expectations. We are all agreed on this and I will not dwell on the subject.
On the other hand, some progress was made before the election with the freeing of political prisoners and also in connection with the election, where Belarus cooperated with the OSCE/ODIHR and its observers ahead of the elections. The freeing of the remaining political prisoners was regarded as an essential step not only by ourselves, but also by the opposition: this move reduced and eased the level of fear in civil society, where imprisonment on political grounds is no longer seen as a fact of life, even though the threat still exists.
And yet, while at the time we welcomed the freeing of the political prisoners, we did not respond tangibly with positive measures, with the election just around the corner. But now we should not delay our response any longer. Similarly, just as the freeing of the political prisoners was a decisive gesture, the cooperation of the Belarusian authorities with the OSCE observers cannot be ignored, nor can the – albeit limited – access to the media for all the candidates be overlooked. These are major steps forward compared with the previous, presidential, elections in 2006.
How do we now make sure that these steps forward are maintained and consolidated? How do we make sure that also in the future there are no political prisoners in Belarus? How do we make sure that the OSCE/ODIHR can continue its cooperation with the Belarusian authorities until the publication of its final report on the election in two months and, beyond this, follow up the report? What can be done to prevent any toughening of the rules applying to the media and to provide greater legal certainty for NGOs to work in?
I am here to listen to the Parliament’s views.
It is our belief that resuming the dialogue at political level with the authorities, without ceremony but with realism, is the response we must give Belarus today. It is important that we can have contacts at the appropriate level, in order to make sure that our message gets across.
I would add that generally speaking, whatever the exact details of our response, our line must be ‘gradual and proportional’. These two principles will guide the delivery of our response to Belarus and will enable us to encourage the democratic development we all hope for."@en1
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