Opportunity for Belarus
June 23, 2009
The parliamentarians for the Council of Europe overwhelmingly supported Tuesday's motion to return the Belarusian delegation to Strasbourg with Special Guest status. It had formerly been granted to Minsk in 1992 but was withdrawn in 1997 "due to lack of progress in the human rights sphere."
Belarus is the only European country that is not a member of the Council of Europe, and according to Amnesty International, it's the only European country that still has the death penalty. A moratorium on the execution of prisoners is a precondition to Belarus taking up its Special Guest status.
The move coincides with the EU's recently launched "Eastern Partnership," which aims to improve ties with six former Soviet republics, including Belarus.
Talks between Minsk and Brussels
Ahead of Tuesday's decision, EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner visited Minsk for talks with Belarusian officials including President Alexander Lukashenko. She described the talks as a "good start and a milestone in relations" between Belarus and the EU.
The country recently freed all political prisoners and made other concessions to democracy, which Ferrero-Waldner welcomed.
"These are very positive steps, but let us be clear," she said in an online interview with Radio Free Europe. "Much more needs still to be done, and Belarus has a long way to go."
She cited press freedom, freedom of expression for civil society and better working conditions for NGOs as issues at the top of the list of priorities.
Although it's been referred to as "Europe's last dictatorship," Belarus has shown its interest in building good relations with the rest of Europe, despite the disapproval of its closest ally, Russia.
dc/dpa/AFP
Editor: Andreas Illmer