New EU president to turn to Belarusian dictatorship

Poland takes over the EU’s presidency from Hungary on July 1.

Poland plans to focus on three priorities during its presidency: European integration as a source of growth, secure Europe and open Europe, Warsaw says.

Another important issue will be Eastern Partnership initiative that will hold a summit in Warsaw in September, BelaPAN reports.

As Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on June 27, Belarus would be invited to the event. “No one has excluded Belarus from Eastern Partnership. Belarus will be invited to the summit at the highest level possible,” he said.

The Polish MFA chief noted that a new action plan for the Eastern Partnership would be presented at the summit. “Our very intensive activity has an aim to make it as ambitious as possible,” the minister said.

Speaking about the EU presidency, Sikorski underlined: “We left forces and resources in reserves to cope with the things that are difficult to foresee during our presidency. There may be contradictions relating, for example, with a desire of Palestine to declare independence. There is a serious economic crisis in Belarus, just on our border.”

Besides, Poland intends to form the International Solidarity Fund by the end of 2011. “It will be our tool to provide development assistance, as well as support for democratic changes,” Sikorski said. “The money should be directed to the whole palette of tasks, primarily the support of democracy and civil society in such countries as Belarus," Radoslaw Sikorski said.

Poland will hold the EU’s presidency until December 31, 2011.