BT and Euronews didn’t mention about Solana’s meetings with Belarusian opposition

• 20.02.2009, 8:33

Only Javier Solana’s meetings with Belarusian officials were covered on television.

Official Belarusian television and Euronews reported about meetings of the EU’s High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy with Alyaksandr Lukashenka and Belarusian foreign minister Syarhei Martynau.

They didn’t mention, however, that Javier Solana began his visit to Minsk with meetings with the Belarusian opposition.

It should be reminded that EU’s High Representative met a delegation of Belarusian democrats, consisted of former political prisoner Alyaksandr Kazulin, leader of the “For Freedom” movement Alyaksandr Milinkevich, head of the Belarusian Association of Journalists Zhanna Litvina, chairman of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee Aleh Hulak, human rights activist Alena Tankachova, economist Pavel Daneika, and head of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions Alyaksandr Yarashuk.

At the meeting with Javier Solana, Alyaksandr Kazulin told about new political prisoners which have appeared in Belarus. Leaders of businessmen Mikalay Autukhovich, Yury Lyavonau and Uladzimir Asipenka, as well as the “Young Front” activist Artsyom Dubski were arrested in Minsk recently. The politician also told the EU High Representative about harsh disband of the oppositional rally of February 14 and on the Day of Belarusian Solidarity on February 16. During these rallies dozens of peaceful protesters were beaten up.