Carl Bildt: We are disappointed by Belarus' progress but we don't give up
Sweden's foreign minister says the issue of Belarus has been sent to a lower level. Foreign ministers of EU member states on November 17 decided to prolong sanctions against some of Belarus officials for one more year. In an official declaration, they said the sanctions would last till October 2010 until Belarus authorities have shown a significant progress. It means that a number of Belarus officials will not be able to travel to EU so far.
However, neither Sweden's foreign minister Carl Bildt nor EU's commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner in charge of external relations nor Swedish International Development Agency's Gunilla Carlsson mentioned Belarus during a news conference. The European Radio for Belarus just decided to ask if the issue of Belarus was still acute for Europe.
ERB: “As far as we know the EU has decided to suspend sanctions against Belarus despite the latter not having met Europe's requirements. Do you think it will mean in the eyes of Belarusians that EU is not longer interested in democratization and human rights in Belarus?”
Carl Bildt: “No, I don't think so. It is clear from the text of the resolution that our position is very transparent and strong. We go on with the sanctions but we suspend them at the same time. We still remain interested in seeing the authorities in Belarus moving towards the European values. I can say it straightforwardly that we are disappointed by the pace of the progress but we are not giving up. We will continue to make Belarus interested in moving in a good direction. A lot has been done. We have included the clear statements and values in the resolution.”
It is worth noting that during Carl Bildt's statements about the continuation and suspension of the sanctions, some journalists could not hold their laughter on faces. A question from ERB provoked other reporters to touch on the issue of Belarus. Carl Bildt had to elucidate:
Carl Bildt: “The Belarus issue was sent to a lower level. Member nations found a compromise very easily so there was no need for the ministers to discuss this issue. That's one. We also received reports from two foreign ministers who recently visited Minsk to evaluate the possibilities for changes. We are not set to give up. But that does not mean there will be democratization of the Scandinavian type in Belarus before next Wednesday”.
Photo: rusrep.ru
However, neither Sweden's foreign minister Carl Bildt nor EU's commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner in charge of external relations nor Swedish International Development Agency's Gunilla Carlsson mentioned Belarus during a news conference. The European Radio for Belarus just decided to ask if the issue of Belarus was still acute for Europe.
ERB: “As far as we know the EU has decided to suspend sanctions against Belarus despite the latter not having met Europe's requirements. Do you think it will mean in the eyes of Belarusians that EU is not longer interested in democratization and human rights in Belarus?”
Carl Bildt: “No, I don't think so. It is clear from the text of the resolution that our position is very transparent and strong. We go on with the sanctions but we suspend them at the same time. We still remain interested in seeing the authorities in Belarus moving towards the European values. I can say it straightforwardly that we are disappointed by the pace of the progress but we are not giving up. We will continue to make Belarus interested in moving in a good direction. A lot has been done. We have included the clear statements and values in the resolution.”
It is worth noting that during Carl Bildt's statements about the continuation and suspension of the sanctions, some journalists could not hold their laughter on faces. A question from ERB provoked other reporters to touch on the issue of Belarus. Carl Bildt had to elucidate:
Carl Bildt: “The Belarus issue was sent to a lower level. Member nations found a compromise very easily so there was no need for the ministers to discuss this issue. That's one. We also received reports from two foreign ministers who recently visited Minsk to evaluate the possibilities for changes. We are not set to give up. But that does not mean there will be democratization of the Scandinavian type in Belarus before next Wednesday”.
Photo: rusrep.ru
