Ashton: Release the prisoners and let them get back to their families!

• 21.03.2012, 0:00

The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy Catherine Ashton commented on the EU’s policy regarding Belarus during a session of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs.

“As for Belarus, during the recent summit in Copenhagen we discussed a transition from isolation to cooperation; we often move somewhere between these two approaches. Sanctions send a very strong political and economic message to the country. And regarding Belarus, we articulate our position clearly, and will do that in future.

But at the same time we send a clear separate political message regarding what you (the Belarusian government) must do. You must release these people from prison, you must let them get back to their families. And it is crucial for us to send this message and to tell you that if you meet this demand, then we can cooperate in many aspects. And we send this message to you on behalf of the European Union at the whole, as well as on behalf of specific country-members who cooperate with Bealrus. We send the same signals. We do that simply because we want you to change, we want you to solve all these problems. But if you do it, we will be there,” Radio Svaboda quotes Catherine Ashton.