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Negotiations between European Union and Belarus on energy security are only possible if human rights situation in the country improves, commissioner says

Negotiations between the European Union and Belarus on energy security are only possible if the human rights situation in the country improves, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the European Union (EU)’s commissioner for external relations, told a group of Belarusian reporters during an informal meeting in Brussels on September 18.

She noted that EU and Belarusian experts met in June to talk about energy security. Their second meeting was scheduled for October, but the EU decided to postpone it indefinitely.

Ms. Ferrero-Waldner said that the Belarusian government made some small positive steps in the spring of 2007, including the early release of opposition politicians Mikalay Statkevich and Pavel Sevyarynets, the agreement to receive Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE's representative on freedom of the media, the permission to open a delegation of the European Commission in Minsk.

Ms. Waldner noted that the European Commission had decided to reciprocate by making several small steps toward Belarus, including her meeting with Belarusian Deputy Foreign Minister Valery Varanetski and an invitation to participate in an international conference on promoting the European Neighborhood Policy in Brussels. However, following a spate of politically motivated arrests of opposition activists in August and September, it was decided to put off the meeting indefinitely.

Ms. Ferrero-Waldner noted that the meeting could take place by the end of 2007 if the political situation in Belarus remains stable. She stressed that although the meeting will focus on some technical matters and despite the great importance of energy security issues, the EU links the discussion with the political situation in Belarus. //BelaPAN