Andres Herkel: Questions about political prisoners are on agenda

The Council of Europe is not going to be limited only by the requirement to abolish the death penalty in Belarus.

The chairman of the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and rapporteur on Belarus Andres Herkel told about it in interview for charter97.org.

- Mr.Herkel, how would you describe the state of relations between Council of Europe and Belarus, the only European country which is not a member of this organization?

- Council of Europe repeatedly expressed our wish to have Belrus in the organization but authorities in Minsk gave us too many signals that they don't share the same values with Council of Europe. The door is still open and I can't agree the opinion that CofE isolated Belarus. It is self-isolation and the key is still in Minsk.

- You are Rapporteur of PACE on Belarus and you are not permitted to visit Belarus. At the same time MEP Justas Paleckis went to our country without any problems and stated that the situation has «improved» despite its apparent worsening. Why do you think some are allowed in Belarus and others are not?

- Assembly was not informed in advance about Mr. Berge's visit and I put the public question to mr. Jagland during the January part-session. Thereafter we also discussed the subject privately. I know that in Minsk it was considered as high-level visit but in Strasbourg not. I think, the intention was very good - to promote the readiness to cooperate with Council of Europe. And we are still waiting for better results.

- In January Minsk was visited by a delegation of the Council of Europe headed by Bjorn Berge head of the cabinet of the Secretary General. They met with the unlawful «parliament» and with Foreign minister who is not allowed in Europe. What does the Council of Europe try to achieve by such meetings behind the scene?

- Assembly was not informed in advance about Mr. Berge's visit and I put the public question to mr. Jagland during the January part-session. Thereafter we also discussed the subject privately. I know that in Minsk it was considered as high-level visit but in Strasbourg not. I think, the intention was very good - to promote the readiness to cooperate with Council of Europe. And we are still waiting for better results.

On April 12 Mr.Jean-Claude Mignon, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe said that the Council of Europe would countinue its dialogue with Belarus on its membership in the Council of Europe only after death penalty moratorium is introduced. Does it mean that the Council of Europe is ready to resume its previous position of a «single condition» that hasn't produced any results?

- Yes, moratorium on death penalty is important and symbolic step. But if «single condition» is pre-condition for further dialogue, it does not mean that other questions are not importand. Questions about political prisoners and free elections are certainly on agenda. Personally I never was enthusiastic to be concentrated only on one condition but it is coming from the document we adopted several years ago.

- When do you plan to prepare the report on Belarus?

- I had unofficial meeting with Belarussian diplomat and I said that I can wait some months for my visit. I think, authorities in Belarus must have time to consider the situation and hopefully the would understand that the visit of rapporteur would be positive signal even if the content of report is critical. Meanwhile, we are always preparing quite critical reports with regards of member-states, especially in the monitoring committee. But time is going quickly and if the willingness for better dialogue is too week I would start to prepare the report without having visit. Report is coming on next year.