Kazulin in Brussels: “Negotiations with Belarusian authorities without democratic forces are unacceptable”

• 17.09.2008, 8:40

On September 16, Alyaksandr Kazulin, invited by EU institutions to Brussels, had a number of meetings in the European Parliament.

As head of the NGO Office for Democratic Belarus Volha Stuzhynskaya, Kazulin took part in a regular session of the Delegation for Relations with Belarus, met with head of the Committee on Foreign Affairs Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, and representatives of the biggest fractions. The politician also participated in a joint press conference with representatives of the EP and society.

A. Kazulin represented a position of democratic forces on normalising of relations between Belarus and the West at the meetings with MEPs and journalists. The politician welcomed release of political prisoners, pointing that this important step “didn’t withdraw an issue on imprisoned on political motives”. He said it was seen even now that the “parliamentary election” in Belarus wouldn’t be free and transparent, and possible recognition of the “parliament” “would give the authorities a recognised by the international society controlled means of adoption of decisions, unsafe for the democracy and the independence of the country.”

On behalf of the United Democratic Forces, Kazulin called the EU to maximally openness for the Belarusians. For this purpose, the politician said, it is necessary to reduce visa fees and simplify visa procedures, as well as to expand technical contacts with the executive branch on points of trans-border cooperation, energy safety and ecology.

Reminding about necessity of a common EU and US strategy for Belarus, working out of the so called road map of stepped rapprochement, Kazulin stressed that political negotiations with the Belarusian authorities without participating and taking into consideration an opinion of the democratic forces are “unacceptable”.