BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

08/04/2008

EU extends for on year ban on Belarus leaders' entry in Europe

BRUSSELS, April 8 (Itar-Tass) - The European Union has extended for one year the sanctions against the Belarussian leadership. According to a statement circulated on Monday, the EU Council made a decision to extend the regime of sanctions in connection with system violation of human rights in the country.

The European Union introduced sanctions against the Belarussian leadership soon after the presidential election in the country held in March 2006. The EU Council said in a statement that the sanctions are introduced against the persons responsible for curtailment of democratic freedoms, violation of Belarussian citizens' rights and persecution of opposition during the March 19 presidential election.

The sanctions were introduced in two stages: in late March 2006 the EU prohibited the entry in its territory to 30 Belarussian functionaries, including the president and in May of the same year it decided to freeze all accounts of the Belarussian president and his staff officials in European Banks. The EU Council's press service said then that this resolution contains a ban on any movement of assets on accounts of these politicians in Europe.

According to the EU Council press release as of Monday, "The Council adopted a common position extending for a further year, until 10 April 2009, the travel restrictions and freezing of financial assets against certain Belarus officials, in view of the situation in the country. These measures, building on initial measures introduced in 2004, had been adopted against persons responsible for fraudulent elections and referendum in October 2004, violations of international electoral standards in the March 2006 elections and the crackdown on civil society and the democratic opposition. The list of persons affected by the restrictive measures remains unchanged."

It said, "The list may be reviewed at any time on the basis of its review criteria and in the light of events on the ground. The Council and the Commission adopted the following joint statement: "The Council and the Commission welcome the release of five of the six internationally recognised political prisoners in Belarus."

According to the document, "The Council and the Commission reiterate their position that the unconditional release of all political prisoners would be considered by the EU as a concrete step towards Belarusian compliance with core European values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. This would provide for a possibility to review the restrictive measures in place against certain officials of Belarus, and to enable the EU to progressively re-engage with Belarus, in connection with further steps by Belarus in that direction."

"The Council and the Commission also note in this respect the particular importance of the conduct of the upcoming parliamentary elections in accordance with international electoral standards, which would provide an opportunity for the assessment of the situation in Belarus and for possible positive steps," is noted.

"The Council and the Commission recall that Council Common Position 2006/276/CFSP is kept under constant review and can be modified in light of political developments in Belarus. The release of all political prisoners and the conduct of September 2008 parliamentary elections would provide specific occasions for such a review," the press release said.

Official Minsk has repeatedly made statements that Belarussian officials have no personal accounts in foreign banks. Over the period of the sanctions European officials have failed to specify if they have found a single Belarussian account in European banks subject o freezing.

Source:

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=12558431&PageNum=0

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