Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-01-14-Speech-3-456"
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"en.20090114.21.3-456"2
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"Mr President, the situation in Belarus and what we should do and how we can help will, I think, without doubt be at the centre of the Council’s attention during the Czech presidency.
Let me start here on a positive note. We have noted with satisfaction the steps taken by Belarus in the past few weeks, including the registration of the ‘For Freedom’ movement, the printing and distribution of independent newspapers like
or
the round table on the regulation of internet with the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media and the announcement of the start of expert consultations with OSCE/ODIHR on improving electoral legislation.
These steps go towards fulfilling the criteria expressed by the EU as a condition for maintaining the suspension of the visa ban beyond the initial six-month period. The EU has stressed the importance of moving on these issues in its contact with the Belarus administration.
Ahead of the sanction review – where we have to take a decision by early April – we will continue to use all political contacts, including bilateral contacts, to encourage Belarus to move forward on the problematic points which were identified in the Council conclusions of 13 October with further substantial steps. As a further sign of encouragement, our presidency intends to hold another foreign minister troika with Belarus on the margin of the January General Affairs and External Relations Council.
We will also continue to monitor the general situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country, with a special emphasis on the regulatory environment of NGOs and the media. We are also closely discussing and exchanging views and information with the various opposition representatives and other persons in Belarus, people like Mr Alexander Milinkievich, Mr Kosolin and others.
Belarus, as we know, is included as one of the six Eastern Partnership countries, a move aimed at creating positive development trends in our eastern European neighbourhood. The participation of Belarus will depend on its domestic development. We plan to launch the Eastern Partnership at summit level in Prague in May and the decision of the day was also selected just when this six-month period ends and we can make an evaluation. So the issue of whether Mr Lukashenko will be invited is one where no decision has been made yet.
We firmly believe that we need to be constructive with Minsk now; let us say, that is a strategic imperative. We of course remain realistic and do not expect any dramatic changes, but we believe that Mr Lukashenko’s search for balancing relations with Moscow can provide an opportunity. But also we are a community of certain shared values and we need to keep the leverage in our hands. It is in our joint interest to use this opportunity to further encourage the positive dynamics in Belarus in this respect."@en1
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