BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

07/10/2008

Osce Urges to Review Role of Belarus in Europe, Globally

MINSK. Oct 7 (Interfax) - It is now time to take a new look at the position of Belarus, in Europe and internationally, said Alexander Stubb, chairman-in-office of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) and Finland's Foreign Minister.

It is time to look from a new angle at the role of Belarus on the international stage and in the European community, Stubb told journalists at the Belarusian Foreign Ministry in Minsk on Tuesday.

He could see the first steps in the right direction being taken, the minister said.

I have never believed in isolation, I have always believed in cooperation, he said.

The OSCE chairman also said that his authorities include reporting to the EU ministers on the situation in Belarus. Stubb said that he is planning to meet with Belarusian opposition figures on Tuesday, and based on that meeting will make the final conclusions.

All this will be reflected in the final report of the OSCE/ODIHR (Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights) on the elections in Belarus, Stubb said.

The ODIHR and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly are now working on the final report, he added.

In giving his assessment of the past Belarusian elections, Stubb said that the OSCE noted some progress compared to the previous elections. At the same time, the elections were not totally free by OSCE standards, he said.

For his part, Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov said that he and the OSCE chairman-in-office discussed the OSCE ministerial meeting due in Helsinki on December 4-5. Belarus hopes for a significant improvement in its relations with the EU, he said.

Source:

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews+articleid_2688371.html

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