EU countries have started to discuss a joint interim plan of relations development with Belarus. This was announced by the European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule in Minsk on November 15. He also added that the security of Belarus in terms of energy supplies is "an area which gives basis for an active dialogue and exchange of views."
According to European Commissioner, an interim action plan is an attempt to overcome the absence of formal bilateral agreements between Belarus and the EU within the framework of the «Eastern Partnership,» Telegraf reports .
Interim plan specifies the way the EU will facilitate and assist Belarus in reforms and development of a competitive economy. «This plan will facilitate the development of relations in all spheres, including sensitive for the authorities and, nevertheless, important for us questions of human rights and democracy,» the Commissioner said.
Stefan Fule said that he wanted to inform the EU Minister for Foreign affairs of Belarus Sergei Martynov about the details of the interim plan personally, not through the media. «The European Commission has just started a discussion of this very important plan, so long I can announce only the major moments,» the EU representative said.
«But I can say that at this stage, this program is really similar to the action plan and will provide the basis for ambitious bilateral programs within the whole spectrum, including the issues of democracy and human rights. The plan also gives the possibility of building-up a structural relationships through meetings at various levels, through commissions to handle not only economic but also political questions,» Stefan Fule said.
According to European Commissioner, the financial resources are no less important aspect of implementing an interim plan. «Belarus is not a party of a bilateral dimension, which, unfortunately, significantly reduces the country’s access to the EU resources, allocated for the programs of the «Eastern Partnership». The joint interim plan is expected to help Belarus in this respect, at least partially,» Stefan Fule said.
