Progress in democratization will determine Belarus’ relations with EU

Progress in democratization will determine Belarus’ relations with the European Union, Christiane Hohmann, spokeswoman for the EU external relations commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, said in an interview with BelaPAN.

The EU’s 12 conditions should be the basis for the development of relations, Ms. Hohmann said, pointing to progress on democracy, human rights and freedom of the media as the main condition. “To date, there have been no conditions for expanding relations,” she noted.

“Cooperation may happen if we have progress in Belarus as far as democratization is concerned,” Ms. Hohmann stressed.

She pointed out that the ongoing talks in Minsk between the European Commission’s transport and energy security experts and Belarusian government officials and a meeting between environmental experts scheduled to take place in Brussels on February 7 should be regarded as technical, not political. Such meetings do not envisage the signing of any agreements, she noted.

According to Ms. Hohmann, during the meetings, the sides are supposed to exchange opinions about possible cooperation in the event of Belarus’ progress toward democratization. The Belarusian authorities are no less interested in such technical talks than Brussels, that is why they continue, Ms. Hohmann said, adding that it is important for the sides to discuss their need and potential for expanding their ties when their political relations improve.

Ms. Hohmann expressed hope that the European Commission would be allowed to establish its delegation in Minsk “fairly soon.” “The ball is in the court of the Belarusian authorities,” she noted in this regard.

The European Commission has always been “in favor of facilitating” visa procedures for the citizens of Belarus and ensuring freedom of movement, she noted, adding that it is the prerogative of the EU member countries to make decisions on lower visa fees for certain countries. Belarus needs to sign the Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreement to enter into talks with them, but the agreement may only be signed if Belarus fulfills the 12 conditions, she said.

Belarus calls on Europe to stop using visas as an instrument of limiting person-to-person contacts and take the necessary steps to ensure freedom of movement, one of the fundamental principles of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Andrey Papow, spokesman for the foreign ministry, said last week. He added that Belarus unilaterally decided to lower visa fees for a number of neighboring countries that joined the Schengen travel zone in December.