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Normalization of Belarus-EU relations depends on Minsk, says Lithuanian foreign ministry

The normalization of relations between Belarus and the European Union depends on Minsk, said the press office of the Lithuanian foreign ministry on Thursday.

Belarusian Ambassador Uladzimir Drazhyn in Vilnius was informed of the Lithuanian stance at the country's foreign ministry on February 29 where he had been summoned to amid a diplomatic row between Minsk and the EU.

At the meeting, foreign ministry officials expressed regret at Minsk’s move to request that the head of the EU delegation to Belarus and the ambassador of Poland to Belarus return to their capitals for consultations, according to the report.

The move only deepens further Belarus’ isolation, they said.

“It was also noted at the meeting that Minsk should have no doubts regarding the [EU’s] coordinated stance on Belarus,” said the press office. “It was underlined that Lithuania is interested in good relations with neighboring Belarus and the country’s citizens, but Belarus should respect fundamental freedoms and human rights, release and exonerate political prisoners, end the repression of the political opposition, restore [favorable conditions for] the independent media and drop attempts to intimidate EU diplomats in Belarus. The normalization of relations between Belarus and the European Union is in the hands of the Belarusian side.”

On Tuesday, the Belarusian foreign ministry "recommended" that the head of the EU delegation to Belarus and the ambassador of Poland to Belarus return to their capitals for consultations, while simultaneously recalling the country's permanent representative in Brussels and ambassador in Warsaw. The decision was announced one day after the EU imposed travel bans and asset freezes on new Belarusian officials over alleged human rights violations.

Following the announcement, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton called a meeting of Member States Ambassadors at which a decision was made that the ambassadors of EU member states in Minsk would all be withdrawn for consultations to their capitals "in expression of solidarity and unity.” //BelaPAN