BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

21/11/2006

EU offers Belarus aid, cooper in exchange for democratic reform

MINSK, November 21 (Itar-Tass) - The European Union has worked out a new strategy of developing cooperation with Belarus. This document in the form of an address to the people of the republic was handed to Belarussian officials simultaneously in Brussels and Minsk on Tuesday, head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Ukraine and Belarus Ian Boag has said.

According to the EC official, the European Union is ready to develop closer cooperation with Belarus within the framework of the European neighbourhood policy. The EU is ready to provide to Belarus financial assistance for the development of small and medium-sized businesses, improvement of the environment state, held in modernizing the country's transport and energy networks. The address also contains prospects for the improvement of trans-border cooperation, provision of more favourable conditions for Belarussian goods on the European market. Finally, the document proposes to simplify the order of Belarussian citizens' entry in EU countries.

The main condition for the project implementation is conducting democratic reforms in Belarus. In order to get the things promised by the European Union the republic should fulfil the demands of 12 its Western neighbours. In particular, Belarus is demanded to set free all its political prisoners, stop politically motivated repressions, observe citizens' rights to the freedom of speech, assembly, hold free and fair elections and introduce a ban on capital punishment.

The Belarussian side's reaction to the EU address is not known so far. However, one coincidence has drawn the observers' attention. The content of the EU document due to an information leak had ceased to be a big secret several days ago. In the meantime, Belarussian opposition member Nikolai Astreiko was unexpectedly released from prison. Another opposition representative Sergei Skobets was also set free. The West regarded these opposition members political prisoners

Source:

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=11005734&PageNum=0

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