BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

19/01/2007

Belarus needs powerful opposition - PACE

MINSK. Jan 18 (Interfax-West) - Belarus needs a powerful ruling party and a powerful opposition in order to have a proper political life, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Rene van der Linden said in Minsk on Thursday.

Vladimir Konoplyov, chairman of the lower house of the Belarusian parliament, said that talks with Van der Linden had been constructive.

However, the Council of Europe and Belarusian authorities disagree on many points, he said.

One of them is the issue of special invitee status in PACE, which Belarus aspires to.

Konoplyov said there were no reasons to deny Belarus the status.

He said Belarus was willing to continue discussing all issues with the Council of Europe.

Source:

http://www.interfax.com/3/232596/news.aspx