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EU foreign ministers to discuss situation in Belarus next week

 

The European Union's foreign ministers will discuss the situation in Belarus at a meeting in Luxembourg on April 12, said BelaPAN.

The meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council will be chaired by Catherine Ashton, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.

The agenda of the meeting also includes the situation in Libya, Middle East and South Caucasus, as well as human rights issues.

Meanwhile, Lithuania's Delfi news agency reported this week with reference to a document from the Baltic country's foreign ministry that the possible application of economic sanctions against Belarus would be under discussion at the meeting. The document calls for specifying the objectives of such measures and their possible effect, as well as emphasizes the need to secure their quick withdrawal in the event of changes in the situation in the country.

Vilnius does not approve of economic sanctions that would harm ordinary citizens in Belarus, the document says.

In addition, the document urges the EU to start visa facilitation talks with Belarus.