Riga, 09/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - Latvia, which took over the presidency of the EU Council of Ministers on 1 January, wants to develop relations between the EU and Belarus.
Underlining the role of Belarus in the Ukrainian crisis, the minister for foreign affairs stated on 7 January that there was a “new opening” for making progress with its 10 million inhabitant neighbours. “We don't want to have Cuba at our borders”, said Andrejs Pildegovics, the secretary of state to the Latvian ministry of foreign affairs, on 9 January. He added that the old strategy was no longer working and a new one was needed. “I hope we'll be able to make some progress towards Belarus being ever more interested in unfreezing relations”, he said, adding that the country first needed to make progress on human rights. “We must be open”, said Pildegovics. Hoping for progress by May and the Eastern partnership summit in Riga, he nevertheless warned that “miracles” could not be expected on this country with its authoritarian regime becoming a democracy in six months.
In Rinkevics' view, Belarus is interested in having more political dialogue and economic cooperation. He believes that the EU could bring Minsk more support in preparing to join the WTO, making renewed efforts to modernise the country and beginning discussions on visa liberalisation. During the Eastern partnership summit in November 2013, Minsk said it was ready to begin negotiations on visa facilitation with the EU (see EUROPE 10974). Pildegovics highlighted cooperation in terms of digital and environmental issues.
However, possible progress does not mean cutting corners on values. The secretary of state was clear: the EU is keeping to its position on the required release of all political prisoners and on the situation of minorities. “The EU will continue to put pressure on the country”, he warned. Belarus is the only country in Europe to apply the death penalty and it is not a member of the Council of Europe. 2015 will also be the year of presidential elections in Belarus. The electoral system and the way these elections are organised will be very important and will be observed, Pildegovics stated. (CG)