Next week agreement on visa simplification between Belarus and EU is to be discussed in Brussels

The fourth EU-Belarus Interim Phase meeting on modernisation issues between Belarus and the EU took place in Minsk.

The consultation were organized with the participation of Deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus Alena Kupchyna and Director of the Department for Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia, Regional Cooperation and OSCE of the European External Action Service Gunnar Wiegand.

According to the press service of the Belarusan Foreign Ministry, in the course of the meeting “a substantive discussion was held on education, regional development and social policies in Belarus as well as on the EU assistance instruments in these fields”. The main goal of the consultations on modernization is to determine the best future form of cooperation between the Government of Belarus and the European Union.

After the consultations Wiegand informed the journalists that a regular session regarding agreement on

visa regime simplification and readmission between Belarus and the European Union is to take place next week in Brussels.

Let us note that his visit was wrapped up in secrecy: the EU representative Gunnar Wiegand refused to meet with the leaders of the Belarusian opposition and politically engaged civil society. Answering the question if the topic of political prisoners was raised during a meeting with Belarusian authorities asked by Euroradio, he said the following: "I raised this issue in a very concrete way, recalled particular cases. It seems to me that it was not a surprise for Belarusan officials. I think everybody understands that there are steps that must be done so that we could fully realize the potential of the relations between the EU and Belarus. There are some steps that can already be made, but there are important things without which it is impossible to reach the full potential in the relationship."

According to the press service of the delegation of the EU to Belarus, it was agreed that the next meeting will take place early 2015 in Brussels.