BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
15/10/2008
Belarus: sanctions to be reimposed in six months if no progress made
"Since the elections of 28 September, the European Union has decided to modify its policy by seeking to engage in a gradual dialogue with Belarus", the French minister told MEPs. "The political gestures, such as the release of the last political prisoners and the progress compared with previous elections, prompted the Council to waive for six months the visa restrictions currently applied to certain Belarus leaders", he added.
To Veronique de Keyser (PES, BE), who was "puzzled at the message being given by the Belarus authorities", the minister replied that "the Council does not rule out going back on this waiver in six months if no progress is made".
In response to a comment by Charles Tannock (EPP-ED, UK), Mr Jouyet assured MEPs that the suspension of the visa ban was "motivated more by political than energy policy considerations, although energy and the geostrategic dimension were not ignored". A meeting of the Council troika with the Belarus foreign minister took place outside the main Council meeting, he said.
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