BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

25/02/2009

Belarus: Press Secretary Andrei Popov responds to media questions regarding some aspects of relations of Belarus with the European Union and the U.S.

Question: There is some diverging news broken by the media about yesterday's decision of the EU Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Brussels bearing on the invitation of Belarus to participate in the 'Eastern Partnership' programme. Can you clear up the situation on that matter?

Response: I believe that it is more advisable to relay the essential questions on the interpretation of the decisions adopted by the European Union to the EU itself.

As far as our European partners informed us, the essence of yesterday's decision is that the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the European Union merely confirmed a general concept of the EU 'Eastern Partnership' programme expressed previously that suggested an invitation to six countries, including Belarus, to participate.

The Belarusian side, in general, perceives that step positively regarding it as a move in a right direction. We are ready to continue a serious and substantive discussion on that matter. At the same time, we continue to firmly follow the position of Belarus previously stated that a mechanism of the 'Eastern Partnership' in its finalised version should treat all potential stakeholders equally and indiscriminately.

Question: There has also been information that some EU officials link a full-fledged participation of Belarus in the 'Eastern Partnership' with a request to our country not to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. How legitimate is that linkage?

Response: We are aware of the statements to this effect. So far, it is hard for us to evaluate in what scale they reflect a joint official position of the European Union on that matter. In any event, so far none of the EU authorized officials has addressed such a request to Belarus as a pre-condition for participation in the 'Eastern Partnership'.

I would like to confirm once again that our position on that matter remains unchanged. It corresponds to the position of the member countries of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) agreed by the Heads of States of the CSTO in September 2008.

Question: The U.S. Department of the Treasury indicated that it retained effective its previous decision on the suspension of restrictive economic measures on the Belarusian enterprises 'Lidskaya Lakokraska' and 'Polotsk Steklovolokno' till June 2009. How do you think these measures could influence the future of Belarus-U.S. relations?

Response: The Belarusian side has repeatedly declared its willingness to have a healthier relationship with the United States rather than the one that existed between our countries until recently.

It is obvious to us that these relations need to be improved. I hope that, bearing in mind the decision of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, such an understanding is shared by our American colleagues.

Besides, we believe that businesses in both countries will positively appraise that decision. Arguably, the dividends that the Belarusian and American businesses could accumulate from having normal, hassle-free trade and economic cooperation would not be redundant in today's complex economic conditions in the world over, would they?

Belarus is ready to continue working on the improvement of relations between Belarus and the U.S. on a mutual basis.

Source:

http://www.isria.info/en/25_February_2009_86.htm

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