Czech Republic opposing "immediate" removal of sanctions against Belarus

• 16.09.2008, 12:36

The Czech Republic would not support the "immediate" lifting of the European Union's sanctions against Belarus, the CTK news agency quoted Alexandr Vondra, Czech deputy prime minister for European affairs, as saying in Brussels on Monday.

Mr. Vondra on Monday attended a meeting of the EU foreign ministers who discussed the possibility of softening the EU's stance on Minsk.

The EU ministers agreed that the European Union should consider abolishing the sanctions after Belarus' parliamentary elections.

They praised the release of political dissidents in Belarus but said that they were prepared to reconsider the sanctions only if the elections were held in accordance with democratic standards.

"I think the goal is clear. In view of the current developments around Georgia I think that we all are interested in not pushing Belarus into embrace of its eastern neighbor [Russia]," Mr. Vondra was quoted as saying.

"However, we must become sure that if there is a certain improvement in Minsk it is not a mere episode and that it will be a permanent trend," he said.