BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

04/12/2008

Belarus Must Sign Accord With Eu for Work Under Eastern Partnership - European Commission

MINSK. Dec 3 (Interfax-West) - Belarus wants to cooperate with the European Union under the Eastern Partnership project proposed on Wednesday by the European Commission, head of the European Commission office in Belarus Jean-Eric Holzapfel said at a news conference in Minsk.

But before Belarus signs an agreement on association with the European Union under the Eastern Partnership project, it must sign an agreement with the EU on cooperation and partnership. This draft agreement was frozen in 1995, he said.

Holzapfel said that a representative of the European Commission Council Helga Schmidt would arrive in Minsk soon to continue the discussion of Belarus' relations with the EU.

Five key factors of the 12 listed in the partnership policy are particularly relevant in decision making on the final cancellation of sanctions and further cooperation: Belarus must remain a country without political prisoners; Belarus must implement measures in relation to the mass media, dialogue should be continued with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights on election legislation, the status of nongovernmental organizations should be defined and conditions should be improved for their work; and the freedom of associations and speech must be guaranteed, he said.

Source:

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews+articleid_2852883.html

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