EU Ministers Keep Sanctions On Belarus
European Union foreign ministers
meeting in Luxembourg have resolved to keep sanctions in place against
Belarus, but they are continuing to hold out the prospect of lifting
sanctions if Minsk improves its human rights record.
The sanctions are part of the EU's "critical engagement" policy with the
government of Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka -- an attempt
to pressure Minsk to implement democratic reforms.
The EU again called on the Belarusian government to "stop harassment of
civil society, the political opposition and the independent media."
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, speaking at a news conference
in Luxembourg after the October 15 talks, singled out Belarus's widely
condemned parliamentary elections on September 2 as a "missed
opportunity."
"Parliamentary elections in Belarus were yet another missed opportunity
to conduct elections in line with international standards, and we are
very concerned about increased acts of harassment and repression of
civil society and political opposition, as well as the diplomatic crisis
with Sweden," Ashton said.
The EU ministers said sanctions already imposed on Belarus would not
immediately be lifted for several reasons, including the continued
detention of some political prisoners and the failure of the government
to "rehabilitate" those political prisoners who have been released.
The EU punitive measures already imposed against 243 people and 32
entities in Belarus are to be extended at least until October 2013 under
the minister's latest decision.
But ministers noted the EU policy on restrictive measures against
Belarus "remains open and under constant review." Ashton said it was up
to Belarus to change, otherwise "our policy remains unchanged."
"The development of our bilateral relations with Belarus remains
conditional on progress on human rights, on democracy and the rule of
law," Ashton said. "And until then, our policy remains unchanged, so we
prolonged the restrictive measures for another year."
