BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

28/01/2009

Belarus Leadership Form Council,Invites Opposition

An EU entry ban on Lukashenko and other officials has been suspended, with a final decision on the bar due in April.

Belarus announced the creation on Wednesday of a consultative council including members of the opposition, the latest in a series of reforms expected to improve ties with the West. Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko has long been accused of flouting human rights.

But last year all detainees deemed political prisoners were released and opposition papers allowed to publish, though an election was considered by western observers to have fallen short of acceptable standards.

The European Union and United States have eased punitive measures against the ex-Soviet state. An EU entry ban on Lukashenko and other officials has been suspended, with a final decision on the bar due in April.

The president's press service said the "socio-consultative" council was intended to "discuss current issues of development of the country and society and to draft proposals to bring Belarus further into world processes".

But the make-up of the new body was not announced.

"The lack of clarity is linked more to the position of the opposition parties, not all of which have given a clear reply," a source within the president's administration told Reuters.

"It is apparent this invitation came as a complete surprise to the opposition."

Belarus's liberal and nationalist opposition has repeatedly been rent by divisions, particularly on to what extent to cooperate with Lukashenko, in power since 1994.

It achieved rare unity in a 2006 election, when liberal Alexander Milinkevich was chosen as a unified candidate to challenge the president's bid for a third term.

Opposition politicians said Milinkevich's "For Freedom" movement had been asked to join the new council, as had the liberal United Civic Party, independent trade unions and the Belarus Helsinki Committee, a human rights watchdog.

"This is, to some extent, a way of improving the authorities' image and impressing the West," Anatoly Lebedko, veteran leader of the United Civic Party, told Reuters.

"We will send a representative with a clear, precise mandate. The council could become a forum for dialogue between the authorities and civil society, given sufficient good will."

Source:

http://www.javno.com/en/world/clanak.php?id=228891

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