BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
14/01/2009
Constructive dialogue with Belarus
A Nordic Council delegation headed by Dagfinn Hoybraten (NO) visited Minsk, the capital of Belarus, 12-13 January. They met representatives of opposition parties on Monday and government representatives in the parliament on Tuesday. Both parties support closer dialogue with the Nordic Region.
Nordic and Baltic politicians have twice held roundtable discussions in Vilnius with government and opposition politicians from Belarus. A third seminar will be held in Lithuania, 23-24 March 2009. Climate change and energy policy will again feature on the agenda but this time a debate will also be held about the impact of the economic crisis on climate and environmental policy.
"Through the Nordic Council and the Baltic Assembly we have managed to create a meeting place for dialogue between government supporters and political leaders outside the Belarus parliament. It is a unique achievement, which we wish to develop by addressing themes like the environment, climate challenges and the economic crisis. As far as I am concerned, I hope it will be considered natural for the Nordic Council to follow up on these contacts by establishing a Nordic office in Minsk in the same way as the Nordic Region did in the Baltic capitals during a critical phase," said Hoybraten, a former President of the Nordic Council and now the person responsible for Nordic contacts with Belarus, after the visit.
As well as the two seminars in Vilnius, the Nordic Council Environment and Natural Resources Committee visited Belarus in summer 2008. During the visit to Minsk, various forms of more regular partnership between the Nordic Region, the Baltic countries and Belarus were discussed.
Some members of the opposition are disappointed that Europe has "opened the doors" after a disappointing election in the autumn, but the majority support closer dialogue.
Torkil Sorensen, International Adviser to the Nordic Council
ts@norden.org
+45 24 699 457
Source:
http://www.norden.org/webb/news/news.asp?id=8349&lang=6
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