Andrei Sannikov: Talks with Europe could end if nothing would be happening in Belarus :: Charter'97 :: News

“Essentially, a statement by Varanetski in Brussels meets national interests of Belarus. Primarily it concerns diversification and stability of energy resources supplies, problems of transport, transit, agriculture and so on. The same problems are also discussed by Europeans with leaders of the Belarusian opposition, democratic parties, and civil society. That is to say, we observe not only similarity of interests between the official Minsk and the democratic forces, but of their actions in discussing these important problems with our European partners. However, the form in which the representative of the Belarusian regime brought up these issues, would hardly take any effect. It is too long by-pass to turn these talks in a pragmatic discussion,” told the former deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus, the international coordinator of the Charter’97 Andrei Sannikov, commenting on the visit of Valery Varanetski, a deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus, to Brussels to the international conference “Working Together to Strengthen European Neighbourhood Policy”.

According to Mr. Sannikov, the official Minsk is trying to come to terms with Europe without changing anything inside. “It is simply impossible. Even the question of visas which had been finally brought up by Belarusian Foreign Ministry in their contacts with Europeans, could not be solved unless a progress with the EU proposals take place. In other words, visas cheapening and facilitation of procedures depend on the Belarusian regime only, as the policy of good neighborhood cannot be applied to countries which do not follow their own commitments in developing cooperation,” Sannikov noted.

“The fact that Belarusian democratic forces are getting ready to hold the European March on October 14 has become a good background for talks of the official Minsk representatives with the Europeans. The regime uses pro-European sentiment of the Belarusian democratic forces to develop its contacts with the European Union. As we know, these contacts are still limited, however the EU went to talks with the official Minsk and thus granted an advance to the present government. But such discussion could end if nothing would be happening inside Belarus. In case the regime would not meet halfway the society, the democratic forces that are ready to a dialogue, in case senseless crackdown on dissenters continues, if the democratic forces and the authorities would not agree on quiet and peaceful holding of the European March,” Andrei Sannikov said.