BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

23/06/2009

EU official reaches out to Belarus

MINSK, Belarus (AP) - If Belarus stops arresting dissenters, reforms election law and grants media freedom, it will earn long-term cooperation with the European Union, a top EU official said Monday.

EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner told Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that "the EU has a lot to offer Belarus in a wide range of areas of mutual interest.

Lukashenko welcomed her visit and said Belarus "sincerely wants to build good relations" with the EU, "no matter whom that displeases.

This was a nod to Russia's efforts to exert influence and control over Belarus and its economy, which is heavily dependent on cheap supplies of Russian oil and gas.

Despite the good will, Ferrero-Waldner insisted Belarus _ once labeled Europe's last dictatorship _ still had some way to go to meet Western democratic standards essential for relations to blossom.

"Let's be clear: Participation in the bilateral track can only come when Belarus has convincingly demonstrated its commitment to progress on democracy and fundamental freedoms," she said.

"Our cooperation should be a two-way street," Ferrero-Waldner said, urging Belarus also to guarantee other rights such as free assembly and to ease restrictions on relief agencies.

The EU has granted Minsk $14 million to improve food produce for export, she said. Food quality is a sensitive topic in Belarus, one-third of which is still contaminated by radiation from the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.

A Russian ban on Belarusian dairy products was lifted last week, but a potentially more troubling conflict is looming. Russia's state-controlled gas monopoly said Belarus owes more than $200 million and has demanded payment this week.

Lukashenko suggested that Belarus was hoping to receive new technology and economic assistance from the EU.

"You have financial resources _ credit, financing _ which for us is also extremely important," he said.

Belarus is desperate for cash as the global financial crisis has drained its hard-currency reserves. Russia agreed to lend Belarus $2 billion, but the transfer of the final $500 installment has been held up indefinitely.

The EU this year formed a so-called "Eastern Partnership" with Belarus and five other former Soviet republics, offering closer economic and political ties in exchange for a commitment to democracy.

Belarus was invited to join after it freed all political prisoners, allowed the opposition to participate in elections and allowed two independent newspapers to operate.

"Belarus has taken steps in the right direction and we have recognized that," Ferrero-Waldner said.

"If our relations are to deepen, we will need to see further moves to develop democratic freedoms, for example the possibility for civil society to work and hold meetings without fear of harassment or arrest," she added.

The EU commissioner also met with opposition leaders, who have pushed for closer ties with Europe.

"Europe is giving Belarus a chance to enter European civilization and now it up to Belarus to decide whether to use this opportunity," said opposition leader Anatoly Lebedko.

Source:

http://www.pr-inside.com/eu-official-reaches-out-to-belarus-r1338239.htm

Google
 


Partners:
Face.by Social Network
Face.by