‘Belarus could follow Ukraine towards democracy’

By Andrew Beatty

Date: 03/02/05

The EU should step up contacts with the Belarussian opposition to help put the country on a similar path as Ukraine, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis has said.

Speaking to European Voice, Valionis said that radical political changes like those seen in Kiev were not out of the question in Belarus. He said that the EU should lend further financial and political support to democratisation.

"I think something like it was in Ukraine is possible in Belarus," he said, as events in Kiev showed that "anything is possible if people are determined".

The minister believes that the EU should extend its co-operation with what some observers say is a factious and relatively weak opposition movement.

Valionis said that in March Lithuania would play host to an EU meeting on relations with Belarus, which he hopes will increase the EU's activities "with Belarus and in Belarus".

External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner is also expected to attend.

"I don't know how wide and deep the analysis will be, but I rather think we will concretise, connecting our plans with concrete measures," he said.

He outlined the need for the EU to have a "twin-track approach" dealing with the opposition and at the same time engaging with low-level officials.

Diplomats say that having contacts with those in government, but outside Aleksandr Lukashenko's immediate circle, could allow for essential co-operation on issues such as boarder control. Currently the EU has no ties with Lukashenko, who has been president of Belarus since 1994.

In a thinly veiled criticism of some member states, including France and Germany, Valionis said that maintaining good relations with Russia should not be the EU's only concern in dealing with eastern Europe.

"Too much of a pragmatic approach is dangerous," he said.

His comments come as Belarussian opposition leaders met in Vilnius in an attempt to put forward a single candidate for the presidential elections expected in late 2006.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis said that the EU should step up contacts with the Belarusian opposition to help put the country on a similar path to Ukraine.