Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-01-14-Speech-3-457"
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"en.20090114.21.3-457"2
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"Mr President, it is a great pleasure for me to speak to you about Belarus because positive progress has been made, which we were very happy to see. Belarus is very high on our agenda, but not solely because it is one of the countries hit hard by the current financial crisis in the region. There is also a unique opportunity for us to really begin a new chapter in our relationship with Belarus.
After 13 April, should ministers assess that sufficient progress has been made, the decision will be made as to whether to confirm the suspension of sanctions. Should Belarus’s progress be great enough to warrant this, we are indeed ready to reciprocate and I hope that we could then really open up a new chapter in relations with Belarus.
We are now half-way through the six-month suspension of sanctions against Belarus that was the decided at the meeting of EU foreign ministers on 13 October 2008. As this suspension will end on 13 April 2009, now is the time to make the first assessment of whether Belarus is moving in the right direction and whether we can therefore extend the suspension and take further positive action towards Belarus.
The 13 October General Affairs and External Relations Council was very clear that the positive progress which began with the release of the remaining political prisoners in August would have to continue for the suspension to be extended. The areas in which we need to see further and sustained progress are: no further political arrests or imprisonments; cooperation with the OSCE/ODIHR on reforms to electoral legislation; progress on media freedom; better operational conditions for NGOs and no harassment of civil society; and serious progress on the freedom of assembly.
We have seen some progress in the last three months. For example, the ban on two major independent newspapers has been lifted and they have now even resumed printing and distribution. Secondly, ‘For Freedom’, Mr Milinkievich’s organisation, has been allowed registration and, thirdly, there will be consultations between Belarus and the ODIHR on 22 January on electoral reform. This progress has been in direct response to requests made by the Commission in early November and we find it encouraging.
However, we still need more progress if we are to begin a new era in our relationship and if we are also to confirm the suspension. We need to see progress on media freedom, including internet freedom and the accreditation of foreign journalists. We also need to see easier registration procedures and working conditions for NGOs and the lifting of the restrictions on the freedom of NGO activists – like, for example, Mr Barazenka – and we need to see further evidence that peaceful demonstrations can take place freely and without participants fearing arrest.
Progress is, however, a two-way street. If Belarus can make this serious progress, then I think it is also essential that we reciprocate with a significant package of measures. The Commission has been working on proposals for such a package, which could include the following: an extension of the technical dialogues which began a year ago, on energy, transport and environment to other areas; a symbolic increase in the ENPI allocation for Belarus to back these talks; helping Belarus to adjust to the new economic challenges it is currently facing and extending eligibility for EIB and EBRD loans to Belarus; intensifying contacts: on 26 January the troika will meet with Foreign Minister Martynov on the margins of the GAERC, where I intend to say clearly to Mr Martynov what exactly the EU expects from Belarus and what we have on offer; and, naturally, intensification of civil society dialogue.
At this juncture, I believe all efforts should be pooled and meetings that MEPs could have in Minsk with Belarusian parliamentarians, for example, would also be most useful.
A further issue for reflection is the potential to open negotiations on visa facilitation and a readmission agreement. On this issue, the ball is in the Council’s court, and it is clear that Belarus still has further progress to make. But we, the Commission, stand ready to kick-start work and contribute to negotiations as soon as the ministers acknowledge that sufficient progress has been made.
Finally, we stand ready to develop the full range of our ENP and Eastern Partnership offer for Belarus. This would comprise the unblocking of the PCA and a significant increase in our assistance."@en1
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