Belarus expected in Europe, but without dictator

The European Union’s Eastern Partnership summit opens in Prague today.

The forum which participants are to include representatives of the European Union, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine is to take place in the Congress centre in Prague. It is to open at 5 p.m. Minsk time.

The European Commission representatives believe that the Eastern Partnership initiative is to bring about deeper political and economic relations, reinforcement of energy security, to increase mobility and offer additional support to pro-democracy and market-oriented reforms in the partner countries of the EU.

In total 600 mln Euro have been allocated for implementation of the program for the period from 2009 till 2013 in the six countries which have been included in this project.

The European Commission is to be represented by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner. The summit is hosted by Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek. Ta the moment the Czech Republic is presiding in the EU.

Before the summit, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso stated that the new Eastern partnership initiative is vitally important for the EU.

“The time has come for visible steps to change relations with our East European neighbours. It’s in the EU’s vital interest to intensify relations with these countries aiming for political association and economic integration in order to promote more stability and security on the EU’s Eastern border,” European Commission President stated.

The European Commission President believes that through the Eastern Partnership, the European Union also “shows its solidarity with the partners so deeply affected by the consequences of the current financial and economic crisis”.

In her turn, EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner noted that the Eastern Partnership “is built on common interests and shared values. It is a framework for a long-term relationship and engagement by the EU. The Partnership will bring additional support to our eastern partners as they pursue their individual aspirations for closer relations with the EU, and in particular more help in carrying out jointly defined reforms.” She added: “Our partners' approximation to EU standards in the political, economic and social spheres will bring all of us greater mobility, trade and increased prosperity.”

As said by Benita Ferrero-Waldner, “work on the Partnership is already up and running, and the first multilateral meetings will be held next month".

The members of the official delegation of Belarus to the summit are First Deputy Prime Minister Uladzimir Syamashka (Vladimir Semashko) and Foreign Minister Syarhei Martynau (Sergei Martynov).

Earlier Czech President Vaclav Klaus opposed the visit of the Belarusian dictator Alyaksandr Lukashneka to the summit. He said that he won’t receive Lukashenka in his residence and won’t shake hands with him.

The Chairperson of the Standing Czech Senate Commission on Assistance to Worldwide Democracy Vlastimil Sehnal has come out against the visit of the Belarusian dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka to Prague. “We simply shouldn’t allow him to leave the plane,” the politician noted.

Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy noted that the Czech foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg had invited to the summit not A. Lukashenka personally, but Belarus.

The Dutch foreign minister harshly criticised an idea to invite the Belarusian dictator to Prague.

“We will criticise the Belarusian ruler in Prague, and nobody will forbid us to do this. If countries members of the Eastern Partnership program want full partner relations with the EU, they should respect our values. Our values are democracy and respect for human rights,” the Dutch foreign minister Maxime Verhagen said.

Belarusian opposition politicians and human rights activists have repeatedly said a visit of Alyaksandr Lukashenka is impossible while there are political prisoners in the country, repressions against the opposition go on, elections results are rigged, and cases of kidnapping and killings of Belarusians opposition leaders and a journalist are not investigated.

Today Belarusian political emigrants will held a meeting in the capital of the Czech Republic in connection with the launching the EU Eastern Partnership Program and participation of the official Belarusian delegation in the summit.