BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

18/02/2009

EU foreign policy chief in first visit to Belarus

MINSK, Feb 18 (Reuters) - The European Union's foreign policy chief will on Thursday pay his first visit to Belarus which has moved to improve ties with the West after years of accusations of human rights abuses, an EU official said.

EU ministers lifted a travel ban on long-serving President Alexander Lukashenko and dozens of other officials in October after authorities freed the last of what were deemed political prisoners.

The 27-member bloc, however, kept some sanctions as a sign of displeasure at a parliamentary election which western observers said fell below democratic standards, despite some improvements.

"We are at a moment when we can consider the potential development of relations between the EU and Belarus. At the same time this potential ... will only be confirmed if reforms continue," Cristina Gallach, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, said by telephone.

"Mr Solana will welcome the important steps that have been taken but the trend has to continue," she said.

Solana will meet opposition politicians, the foreign minister and Lukashenko.

Gallach said part of the reason for Solana's visit was to gauge future developments before EU ministers decide in April what to do next with the suspended travel bans and remaining sanctions.

Lukashenko, in power for almost 15 years, has been accused of imprisoning his political opponents and stamping out freedom of speech through media censorship and crackdowns on rallies.

After a row with close ally Russia in 2006 over gas supplies, he has sought better ties with the West. Apart from releasing prisoners, the authorities also allowed two opposition newspapers to be printed and sold in the country.

He has also tried to open up the ex-Soviet state commercially. For years it retained a Communist-like economic model. Laws have been introduced allowing for greater foreign participation in the economy and some companies were privatised. (Reporting by Sabina Zawadzki; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

Source:

http://uk.reuters.com/article/mediaNews/idUKLI81837120090218

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