Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-03-14-Speech-3-564-000"

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"en.20120314.28.3-564-000"2
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"Mr President, I think it is time we said what the European Union’s policy on Belarus has been in recent years, what it is like, and how it is viewed in Minsk. Fantasies and illusions; every six months, a change of position; thaws and freezes. It has ended the way it has, and now we are wondering what to do about it. So I propose that instead of starting with harsh words and a show of sabre-rattling, it is time we gave the matter some thought and began at last to pursue a consistent policy, so that the Member States do not work against each other or talk officially about human rights while quietly agreeing terms over some nice little investment, because all of this is getting us nowhere, and Belarus is going nowhere. The only one who is happy about all this is Mr Lukashenko. The most important thing today is to support the opposition, to show unequivocal support for the opposition, and demonstrate that it is they who are our partners. Lukashenko must hear from us that if there is to be another – quote – ‘thaw’, it will only happen in connection with specific changes. First and foremost, this means freedom for the press, independent newspapers, freedom in the Internet and an end to censorship. We should give him these conditions. He will never change his position on elections, because he cannot bring himself to do this. If we start making another agreement with him about some kind of election, we will end up going back to the same policy: fantasies, mood swings, every six months a new approach from the European Union – all this will only encourage Lukashenko to treat the opposition badly and keep oppositionists in prison. I have one simple piece of advice – we need to be consistent."@en1
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