Brussels, 01/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - At the end of the European Foreign Affairs Council on Monday 31 January Polish Foreign Affairs Minister Radoslaw Sikorski called for a European foundation for democracy to be set up. He said that this foundation, “thanks to money granted it from member states and the EU itself, would tackle the task of promoting democracy, especially in the EU's neighbourhood”. On the basis of what the EU had been doing for Belarus, the Polish foreign affairs minister explained that “we must support democratic alternatives” in Egypt as well. He then added that “successful transformation depends on the existence of an alternative and competent elite “in power”, which is prepared to take responsibility for the country when the dictatorship becomes unstable or ready to make concessions”.
Sikorski outlined the measures adopted on Monday against the Belarus regime and indicated that the Council had given the EU high representative and the new European External Action Service the go-ahead for applying “targeted but painful sanctions against Belarus individuals, institutions and companies. We imagine that this will involve direct sanctions, for example, against companies used for repressive purposes or those providing financial support to the regime”. On Monday, the EU 27 reached a compromise during discussions between foreign affairs ministers. Countries such as Poland, Sweden, the Baltic countries and Germany argued for a tough response against the Belarus authorities. Other member states, such as Italy, would have preferred to maintain dialogue with the regime. This dialogue between the EU and Belarus will be maintained but at a lower level, explained Sikorski. The EU also decided not to include the Belarus foreign affairs minister, Sergei Martynov, on the sanctions list adopted on Monday. More targeted sanctions are expected to be applied with regard to undertakings more widely used for repressive purposes (pharmaceutical companies whose products are used for facilitating interrogations, for example). How this mechanism will work exactly, still needs to be defined but in a reply to a question, the Polish foreign minister said that a simple proposal from the high representative would be enough to allow this kind of sanction to be introduced. French Minister for Foreign Affairs Michèle Alliot-Marie indicated that France would increase aid granted to Belarus University in exile in Vilnius. Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt will take part in the donors' conference organised in Warsaw on 2 February. Sweden is planning to increase its aid to Belarus civil society. (A.By./transl.fl)