BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

14/10/2008

EU befriends Lukashenko against Russia?

EU decides to move closer to Belarus in what is widely seen as an apparent precaution against Russia's influence on the bloc's neighbors.

European Union's foreign ministers, on Monday, agreed to lift the travel sanctions on the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

The bans, which prevent Lukashenko and a number of high-level Belarusian officials from traveling to the bloc, came in 2006 following accusations of 'dictatorship' on the Belarusian leadership.

Uzbekistan's leaders were also spared similar bans on them and the ministers vowed to cement ties with the ex-Soviet republic of Moldova.

Belarusian opposition chief Alexander Milinkevich described the EU move as an attempt by the union to prevent Belarus from plunging "more and more into dependence vis-a-vis Russia."

He added that the removal of the restrictions on Lukashenko was also meant to head off 'a crisis' on the EU's borders, apparently referring to Russia's August response to Georgia's invasion of South Ossetia.

Pundits say the EU is, therefore, making overtures to Minsk and its other eastern neighbors to counter Russia.

Source:

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=72114§ionid=351020605

Google
 


Partners:
Face.by Social Network
Face.by