Luxembourg, 14/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - The European Union will send a mission, “in the next few weeks” to Belarus to discuss modalities with the country's authorities on resuming official political contact and economic and sectoral cooperation that EU27 foreign affairs ministers decided on 13 October (EUROPE 9760). EU High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, announced this news to the press after an EU Troika ministerial with the Belarus foreign minister, Sergey Martynov, on Monday evening in Luxembourg. Council diplomats explained that no exact date or makeup of the mission had been decided. They also stressed that EU re-engagement in Belarus will a gradual process and done in stages. On Monday, Mr Solana, accompanied by Mr Martynov, said, “we hope that we have a change in our relationship and that the good climate of today will be maintained”. The Belarus minister confirmed that Minsk was, “interested in having a very productive and substantial relationship” with the European Union and that his country was prepared to, “work hand in hand” with the EU27 to assure, “the prosperity and economic stability of the continent”. (H.B./trans/rh)