BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

17/04/2009

Belarus's Lukashenko for direct normal relations with Europe

MINSK, April 17 (Itar-Tass) -- Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko has said that his country is prepared to establish a normal relationship with the European Union and would like to do so without resorting to the services of any go-betweens.

"All of us, both in Belarus and in Europe, wish to establish normal cooperation and normal relations," he said at a meeting with Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg.

The Belarussian leader said "there were claims of late that Lukashenko allegedly deceives Europe, that he makes promises first and then backtracks."

"We have acted strictly on everything we have promised. If we are unable to do something, we shall say this outright," Lukashenko said. "The Belarussians are interested in cooperation between their country and Europe, but at the same time they need no intermediaries. We are capable of establishing relations on our own, provided we really wish it."

For his part, the Czech foreign minister said that Belarus has always been a European country.

"What we should do is to give a new start to relations between Belarus and the EU," he said. Schwarzenberg agreed that there was no need for inviting mediators, because "we can agree on everything on our own."

"The history of the past few years has indicated that there is progress in relations, but certain issues have to be addressed together," he said.

Schwarzenberg recalled that the Eastern Partnership initiative the EU has drafted implies the establishment of closer relations between Eastern Europe and the European Union.

According to official sources, Belarus-EU relations developed positive trends since 2007. Last April the European Commission opened an office in Belarus. Then a decision was made to restore official contacts with the Belarussian authorities and lift visa restrictions from a number of Belarussian officials.

The Czech Republic holds the rotating presidency of the European Union in the first half of this year.

Source:

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=13847728&PageNum=0

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