Martynau: Terms of Belarus’ participation in EuroNest are discriminatory
7- 10.03.2010, 13:04
The head of the Belarusian Foreign Affairs Ministry has stated that 10 representatives of the Belarusian “parliament” recognized as illegitimate by Europe, should become members of the EuroNest (the Eastern Partnership Parliamentary Assembly).
The Foreign Ministry of Belarus advocates the Belarusian parliament’s receiving a status in the EuroNest Assembly analogous to the status of parliaments of Georgia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Moldova, “BDG” informs.
“Belarus cannot agree to any discrimination in the framework of the Eastern Partnership on principle, including the parliamentary dimension of this program, and namely in the EuroNest,” said the Foreign Minister of Belarus Syarhei Martynau, commenting the proposals concerning participation of the Belarusian “parliament” in the EuroNest in an interview to STV channel.
As it was informed earlier, the EuroNest is an inter-parliamentary assembly which is to be created in the framework of the Eastern Partnership. The inauguration forum of the EuroNest is planned for March 24. The EuroNest is to include 120 MPs, including 60 deputies of the European Parliament and 60 deputies of the parliaments of the member countries of the Eastern Partnership.
The European parliament does not recognize he Belarusian parliament as legitimate one (as there are no representatives of the opposition). in this connection the European Parliament offered Belarus to include oppositionists to the parliamentary delegation of the EuroNest. In case the official Minsk refuses, 10 representatives of the opposition can become members of the delegation.
