09/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - EEAS director for eastern partnership is in Minsk. The director of the European External Action Service (EEAS) for Russia, the Eastern Partnership, regional cooperation in Central Asia and the OSCE, Gunnar Wiegand, is in Minsk (Belarus) from 8-10 February. He is meeting a number of his counterparts with connections to the current government. The spokesperson for EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Stefan Füle emphasised that this was is an opportunity for reviewing the current state of the EU relationship with Belarus and pointing out a number of the EU's concerns with regard to human rights. Wiegand's visit is part of the EU's alternative strategy for engaging with the country outside the framework of relations with the regime. The visit aims to establish a “European dialogue on organisation” with representatives from civil society and the political opposition. Wiegand is also meeting human rights activists, the families of political prisoners and representatives from the diplomatic community. (CG/transl.fl)