BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

18/04/2009

Russia welcomes Lukashenko's invitation to EU's Partnership summit

(Joseph Moses)

Moscow: Russia has welcomed the invitation of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to the European Union''s Eastern Partnership summit. Russia had always told its European Union (EU) partners that sanctions and isolation of Belarus, our friend, were unpromising, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's special aide Sergei Prikhodko said in a statement.

''We are glad that the realistic approach to Belarus has won,'' Mr Prikhokko said, referring to the summit scheduled to take place in Prague on May 7. Mr Lukashenko yesterday said he was committed to cooperation with the European Union, but refused to engage the country's opposition to improve relations. ''We want to improve relations with the EU. We have repeatedly said Belarus does not accept third parties in its dialogue with the EU,'' he said after talks with the Czech Republics Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, the current EU president. The Belarusian President also accused the opposition of destabilising the country and provoking tensions in ties between Minsk and Brussels. Belarus and the EU have moved to mend their ties recently.

President Lukashenko freed several political prisoners last October following demands from the 27-nation bloc, which then suspended a travel ban on him, imposed following the 2006 election it described as flawed. Mr Lukashenko, who has led Belarus since 1994, has been criticised for clamping down on dissent and human rights. Mr Schwarzenberg said the time had come "to give a positive start to relations between Belarus and the EU," and invited Lukashenko to attend the Eastern Partnership summit.

The programme is designed to improve human rights and the rule of law in six former Soviet republics, including Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, and address trade and visa issues.

Source:

http://www.mynews.in/fullstory.aspx?storyid=17784

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