European Commission representative arriving in Minsk

• 29.08.2008, 8:35

Hugues Mingarelli, Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General for External Relations of the European Commission, is to arrive in Minsk with a two-day visit on 29 August.

As the press service of the European Commission reports, H. Mingarelli is to have a meeting with foreign minister of Belarus Syarhei Martynau, representatives of the civil society of Belarus and the OSCE ODIHR.

The visit takes place after the release of political prisoners Alyaksandr Kazulin, Andrei Kim and Syarhei Parsyukevich on 16–20 August, the message says.

The press service emphasises that release of political prisoners and further steps to respect of democracy, human rights and supremacy of law, will confirm the positive impulse and allow to resume a dialog with the EU and Belarus.

It should be reminded that David Merkel, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, paid a visit to Minsk last week. The diplomat met with the representatives of the authorities, democratic parties, civil society and former political prisoners. His visit to Belarus was also connected with the release of political prisoners Alyaksandr Kazulin, Syarhei Parsyukevich and Andrei Kim.