BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

21/06/2007

Minsk Criticizes EU Over Punitive Trade Measures

June 21, 2007 -- Belarus has described a European Union decision to place punitive trade measures on Minsk as "short-sighted."

The EU, effective today, scrapped trade preferences for Belarusian exports, on the grounds that the country violates labor rights.

Now the EU's higher standard import tariffs will apply to Belarusian exports.

"Belarus fails to understand the European Union's suspension from June 21 of trade privileges," the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"It sees the decision as temporary and assumes that objective reality will prompt the EU to re-examine and rescind it soon. This short-sighted step by the EU will, in the first instance, hurt ordinary Belarusian citizens."

The EU has repeatedly accused Belarus of violating fundamental rights, and has imposed financial sanctions and a travel ban on senior Belarusian officials.

(Reuters)

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/06/77D4FB7E-A782-41FE-B9F9-2DDB0AA85157.html