BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

20/01/2009

Joining Council of Europe is Belarus' foreign policy priority - Chairman of the National Assembly

Acceding to the Council of Europe is a top-priority of the Belarusian foreign policy, Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly Boris Batura said at a meeting with Chairman of the Grand Committee of the Parliament of Finland Erkki Tuomioja in Minsk on January 20, Belta reported.

"We consider it is high time Belarus expanded cooperation with European countries, established new robust interparliamentary links, restored a high volume of the relations between Belarus and the European Union," said the Speaker of the Upper Chamber of the Belarusian Parliament. "We should use this opportunity," he added.

According to Boris Batura, Belarus is interested in the work within the Eastern Partnership framework. The Belarusian side believes it is important for the country to partake in the Eastern Partnership projects. "We hope our country will join the Eastern Partnership without any limitations and prior conditions," Boris Batura said.

In his words, Belarus does not aim at the EU membership. "We are just interested in the full-fledged cooperation with the European Union," he said. The Chairman of the Council of the Republic has added that the Belarusian parliament is eager to resume active mutual relations with the European Parliament. "Those years when the mutual relations were limited benefited neither Europe nor Belarus," the Speaker said.

Boris Batura thanked Finland for its pragmatic approach to the dialogue and assistance in restoring good relations with the European Union.

Source:

http://news-en.trend.az/cis/belarus/1402514.html

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