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European Commission delegation staying in Minsk

A delegation of the European Commission arrived in Minsk on November 3 on a three-day visit. The delegation, led by Hugues Mingarelli, deputy director general for external relations, is staying in Belarus to "develop the agreements" reached during Belarusian Foreign Minister Syarhey Martynaw's meetings with top-ranking European Union officials in Luxembourg on October 13, said the press office of the foreign ministry.

Mr. Martynaw then met with Javier Solana, the European Union's high representative for the common foreign and security policy, and the EU troika, which includes Dr. Solana, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU’s commissioner for external relations and the European Neighborhood Policy, and Bernard Kouchner, foreign minister of France, which currently holds the EU presidency.

The European Commission delegation is expected to have meetings at the Presidential Administration, the Council of Ministers, and the foreign ministry.

Under discussion will be the prospects for cooperation between Belarus and the European Commission, the press office said.

This has been Mr. Mingarelli's second visit to Belarus this year. While in Minsk at the end of August, he met with Mr. Martynaw, representatives of non-governmental organizations and political parties, and the OSCE observation mission for Belarus' House of Representatives elections.