BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

13/09/2008

Belarus: MFA Press Secretary Andrei Popov responding to a media question about the Belarus possible attendance at the meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers

Question: Several media have recently broken rather confusing and contradictory news about the possible participation of the Belarus Foreign Minister in a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the EU member states. There are assertions, in particular, that the Belarusian representative has been denied a visa. What is true there?

Answer: I would first go by saying that Belarus has never approached anyone to get hold of an invitation whatsoever to the EU functions. Who will and will not be invited is subject to the internal procedures of the EU only. Moreover, inviting or non-inviting of Belarusian representatives to this or that EU event is not paramount per se. That is a technicality. Of more importance is an explicit wish of both sides to make specific steps towards each other. The Belarusian side made such a step to address EU concerns. It is well-known. Our European colleagues, however, are facing sort of a challenge, apparently, in putting together a proper response. We reckon that might be why things turned to hassling around. We are still ready, though, to have dialogue with the EU and believe that fussing around with anyone of the sides would be no use for the dialogue, obviously.

Source:

http://www.isria.info/RESTRICTED/D/2008/SEPTEMBER_18/diplo_13september2008_8.htm

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