Brussels, 17/12/2009 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament backs the EU's gradual re-engagement approach towards Belarus, initiated by the Council of Ministers in October 2008, but demands 'significant progress' in democracy, the rule of law and human rights as a precondition for the lifting of restrictive measures like the freezing of assets and the travel ban on members of the Alexandr Lukashenko's regime or reactivating the EU-Belarus Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, the ratification process of which has been on the back burner since 1997. 'The increased political dialogue and the establishment of the Human Rights Dialogue between the EU and Belarus must lead to concrete results and substantial progress in the fields of democratic reforms and respect for human rights and the rule of law,' argued the European Parliament in a resolution adopted in Strasbourg on Thursday 17 December 2009. The EP regrets that 'after initial positive steps undertaken by the Belarus Government, no further essential progress has been made in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms.' The MEPs explain that there has not been any let-up in the repression of political opponents, NGOs and independent news media and the EP therefore backs the recent decision by the EU Council of Ministers (see EUROPE 10021) to continue with the sanctions against some of Belarus's leaders although suspending their application until October 2010. Significant progress is called for in the resolution to ensure a free press, reform the electoral law and scrap the death penalty before the sanctions can be fully lifted. In the meantime, the EU has included Belarus in the Eastern Partnership (only in the multilateral aspects of this new EU policy for the moment because bilateral aspects are all suspended), which the MEPs point out makes it possible for the EU to establish regular contact with Minsk. Particular attention should be paid to improving life for the population and civil society in Belarus. The EP invites the European Commission to prepare recommendations before it decides on any potential negotiating mandate for agreements to ease visa and re-entry restrictions when the necessary conditions have been met by Belarus. The EP wants the cost of visas for Belarus passport-holders entering the Schengen Area to be reduced.
The MEPs want the EU27 governments to take a 'coherent' line in relations with the Lukashenko regime and stick to the policy decided upon by the EU Council of Ministers (like regular meetings with Belarus opposition figures). This paragraph was added to the resolution following the recent visit to the country by the Italian prim minister, Silvio Berlusconi, who praised President Lukashenko (saying that people loved him, as was shown by the election results) but did not meet with any members of the opposition. During the debate on Wednesday, many MEPs from across the benches (including the EPP, of which Silvio Berlusconi's party is a member) were highly critical of the Italian leaders' visit. (H.B. trans fl)