Andrejs Pildegovičs: We are absolute pragmatics in relation to the Eastern Partnership

Latvia is suggesting checking up the EaP and working with Belarus “on individual program”.

Andrejs Pildegovičs, the state secretary for Foreign Affairs of Latvia, who visited Belarus for ministerial consultations, also met with journalists and representatives of Belarusan expert community in the Latvian Embassy in Minsk.

Let us recall that Latvia is taking the EU presidency in the EU in the first six months of 2015. In May Riga will host regular Summit of the Eastern Partnership, the crisis in which it is in has been under discussion after the Ukrainian developments. Yanukovich’s government’s sudden refusal to sign the EU Association Agreement led to EuroMaidan, then to the revolution and Russia’s intervention into Ukraine’s business; to put it simply, to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Without accentuating the arrival/non-arrival of Aliaksandr Lukashenka to Riga n May this year (which got the biggest coverage in the press), EuroBelarus Information Service recalled the suggestions about reformation of the Eastern Partnership program introduced by Latvia and voiced by Andrejs Pildegovičs in Minsk.

Anticipating the speech of the Latvian state secretary for Foreign Affairs, Latvian Ambassador to Belarus Mihails Popkovs emphasized that “the Latvian presidency in the EU started at a very complicated time: annexation of Crimea by Russia, tragic events at the east of Ukraine mostly disrupted our image of international agreements on safety issues in Europe”.

Additional challenges for common political and economic stability at the continent, according to the Ambassador, is serious economic and financial turbulence in a number of countries in the Eastern Europe, bigger risks of terroristic attacks and illegal migration.

“That is why upon elaboration of priorities for presidency in the EU Latvia thought not only about necessity to provide succession of approaches in resolving the most important issues of inner politics of the EU, but also about the need to take effective actions on creating all-embracing approach for building constructive relations with the neighboring countries and regions. Otherwise the EU risks to face constant instability, lack of security at its borders, as well as might-have-been states, - the Ambassador says. – Riga Summit is to become a platform for new ideas and suggestions, and its declaration – an ambitious and clear plan for developing the EaP policy in the forthcoming years both as a multilateral cooperation as well as in relation to each country. All the above mentioned applies to our closest ally – the Republic of Belarus”.

Mihails Popkovs informed that “we would like for the EU-Belarus dialog to be developing at least as dynamically as our bilateral relations are”.

Andrejs Pildegovičs told about the revision plan: “Eastern Partnership exists for 5 years already – and during these years we stored quite broad experience. And as we see it, in 2015 we should rethink this program together with the EU and our partners. Initially it was intended as a rocket site for taking in new partners to the EU and fostering the possible EU membership of these countries. However, now with all the experience we got, in future we might correct the direction of this program, make it more inclusive, more answering to the interests, ambitions, images, and national interests of all its partners”.

According to the Latvian state secretary for Foreign Affairs, “we are absolute pragmatics in relation to the Eastern Partnership; we don’t want to speak about some big ambitious political aims, but rather try to achieve as much practical things so that to bring our standards and images together as possible. And that is why here in Minsk on January 22 we indicated our priorities, and, of course, wanted to check whether the Belarusan authorities are interested in such approach”, - the Latvian diplomat said.

Pildegovičs stated that he doesn’t want for his words to be unsupported by evidence and told about approximate action plan: “During 6 months we are planning to hold 14 events related to the state, non-governmental, and business institutions of the countries-partners. And the Summit in Riga will culminate it”.

 “It is already next week that informal ministerial session of the EaP and the EU countries will take place. We are hoping for the progress in migration politics, in simplification of visa procedures, and we hope that Belarus will meet us halfway in it. It might be that towards the end of our presidency we will sign the readmission agreement and Agreement on simplification of visa regime”.

According to the diplomat, “we discussed the actual international problems related to the conflict in Ukraine”. “We highly appreciate the restricted and constructive stance Belarus has taken in this uneasy situation”, - he added.

As to such terms as human rights, democratic values, as well as demands and actions on release of political prisoners (which term the Latvian state secretary was trying to escape in every way), little was said about it. “The spiral development is principally important for us. If we see that protection of ethnic minorities and freedom of word are not empty phrases, but are supported with real actions, of course, it will build up trust and willingness of both the sides to move towards new agreements and bigger participation of Belarus in all the processes”, - Mihails Popkovs noted. He also emphasized that it is Belarus who is to make the decision about it: “We are not racketing anyone, and we don’t want to freeze our relations. But of course, for these diplomatic contacts to bring certain results and for the level of our communication to develop, consistent steps are required”.

According to Andrejs Pildegovičs, the EU expects the release of thee political prisoners – Mikalai Statkevich, Mikalai Dziadok, and Ihar Alinevich. This step is to define whether the EU will review sanctions re Belarus in this six months – before the EaP Summit, where Latvia would like to see Belarus “at high level”.