Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-02-24-Speech-3-178"
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"en.20100224.18.3-178"2
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"Thank you, Mr President, for giving me the opportunity to speak on this item regarding the situation of civil society and national minorities in Belarus.
The European Union is certainly very concerned about the deterioration of the situation in Belarus, especially with regard to human rights.
The lack of freedom of expression and assembly, the constantly increasing pressure on the media, the laws restricting the use of the Internet and the actions against opposition activists are causing the human rights situation in Belarus to deteriorate and worsen.
In her statement on 16 February, last month, Mrs Ashton, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, also expressed her concern regarding the situation of the Polish minority in Belarus, and regarding the detention by the police of some members of that minority. This statement, this formal position of the High Representative, was also sent to the authorities in Belarus through official diplomatic channels.
On Monday, we were able to discuss this matter in the Foreign Affairs Council, and we were able to have a thorough debate that I am sure will be repeated in future. There was, incidentally, a speech made by the Polish Minister, who expressed his concern and his feeling that there was a need to react and to take a position regarding the systematic harassment of members of the Polish minority. It must also be said that the different facets of the European Union are, without a shadow of a doubt, very concerned, and are monitoring this situation very directly and very closely.
I think it is very important to convey to the authorities in Belarus that they must comply with the commitments that they have made in the OSCE to respect human rights and to protect minorities as an essential part of respecting human rights. In the Foreign Affairs Council that I referred to, there was an express request made to the European Ministers to draw the attention of the authorities in Belarus to this situation through the appropriate channels and in the appropriate forums.
I think that it is in the common interest of Belarus, the European Union and all Europeans that we manage to have an influence in stopping these actions, which are contrary to human rights and to the rights of minorities, that are very considerable and significant in Belarus. At the same time, I think that it is important for Belarus to be working in the right direction, and all of the dimensions of the Eastern Partnership are an opportunity to influence Belarus in the right direction, including the multilateral aspect."@en1
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