EU doesn’t see progress in dialogue with Belarus

British Ambassador to Belarus Nigel Gould Davis said at the end of his diplomatic mission to Belarus that the country still had process hindering its cooperation with the European Union.

The European Union doesn’t see progress in the bilateral dialogue between Belarus and Europe, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the UK to Belarus Nigel Gould Davis told Interfax.

“The EU hoped for constant development of relations with Belarus, but I must admit that the rates have slowed down,” Gould Davis said.

He also noted that by the end of 2009EU and US would consider some sanctions on Belarus frozen since the beginning of the dynamic Belarus-West dialogue.

“If Belarus wants and hopes for favourable settling the issue, it needs to step up the positions, mentioned before several times,” the ambassador said. He explained he meant reforming the electoral legislation, freedom of mass media and NGO activity meeting the European standards.

The ambassador stressed that Europe expected Belarus to make “small but consistent steps in this direction”.

The ambassador noted that the steps the EU wanted to see had already been presented, BelaPAN reports. In particular, the European Union expects reforming the electoral legislation, giving freedom and equal conditions for the mass media and civil society. “The EU’s position on these issues remains stable and consistent. The EU has demonstrated its readiness to respond to steps by Belarus. The European Union is ready for deeper cooperation, but expects some conditions in response,” he said.

Nigel Gould Davis also stated the European Union didn’t compete with Russia trying to drag Belarus into its influence zone.

“I can say directly: this is a wrong and harmful more of thinking. The EU is an institution of the XX century, not a state of the XIX century. The EU invites and suggests, but doesn’t threaten and force. We’d like to see Belarus’s good relations with the EU and other countries,” Gould Davis said.

The ambassador also noted that closer relations with the EU could help Belarus to strengthen its sovereignty.

“Being a friend of Belarus, I say that the European Union needs the help Belarus to be able to continue helping you,” Gould Davis said. He stressed that “the things that hinder progress in Belarus-EU ties still take place in the country.”

We remind that a probation period the European Union gave to the Belarusian authorities expires in November. Depending on the democracy situation in Belarus, it will be decided in November whether the EU sanctions on the Belarusian regime to be prolonged or lifted. The Belarusian authorities should release political prisoners, stop repressions against opposition, give freedom to the mass media and NGOs, change the Electoral Code to carry out free and democratic elections in the country. None of these conditions has been fulfilled so far.