BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
13/10/2008
2ND EU suspends visa bans on Belarusian president - Summary
Author: DPA
Luxembourg/Prague - The European Union is to temporarily suspend the visa bans it imposed on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and top regime figures in 2006, EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg agreed Monday. "Today's decision reflects the viewpoint that we need to develop our dialogue with Belarus, basing ourselves on certain conditions," Latvian Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
"Of course we expect Belarus to move on with reforms that would democratize the state, but EU members think that at this moment the path of dialogue would bring more results than not talking," he said.
The ministers' move received a muted welcome from Belarusian opposition leader Alexander Milinkevich, who called it "the lesser evil."
"It is certain that that top officials should have an opportunity to come to the EU," he told
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