Belarus: EU Divided On Retaliation For Flawed Poll

by Ahto Lobjakas

EU foreign policy chief Solana said the bloc wants to help Belarus move toward democracy (file photo) (AFP)

The foreign ministers of the European Union member-states were quick to dismiss as undemocratic Belarus's presidential poll on March 19. But they have been slower in deciding what step to take next. Some EU states in Eastern Europe want prompt and decisive action taken against Alyaksandr Lukashenka's regime. But Germany led others in calling for a more measured approach. A decision is not likely to come before April 10, when the ministers are due to meet next.

BRUSSELS, March 20, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- EU foreign-policy chief Javier Solana on March 20 endorsed a damning report on Belarus released by election monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

"What we have seen [on] television last night and the results that have come out from the OSCE speak for themselves," Solana said. "We would like to continue being engaged with the people of Belarus, and continue being firm with the leaders of Belarus so that they really accept to move on to being a democratic country."

EU foreign ministers have threatened Belarus with so-called "restrictive measures" twice, in November 2005 and again in January 2006. This was interpreted to mean probably sanctions against those Belarusian officials considered responsible to violations of democratic standards.

Near Neighbors: Be Tough

According to some diplomats in Brussels, however, a number of EU member-states are asking for harsher measures.

One EU source told RFE/RL that Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic were among those pushing hard for tough EU action.

Lithuania said the EU should contest the legitimacy of the election result. Slovakia wanted an EU statement denying Lukashenka recognition as the winner of the poll.

Poland asked for sweeping visa bans and the freezing of assets of officials responsible for violations, as well as targeted economic sanctions.

Czech officials suggested opposition leader Alyaksandr Milinkevich -- who officially finished nearly 77 percentage points behind Lukashenka -- should be invited to attend the EU summit in Brussels later this week.

But German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeyer argued that a hasty and ill-considered reaction could damage the EU's future options regarding Belarus.

Dialogue To Continue

Most member states acknowledge the EU has no choice but to continue seeking dialogue with Lukashenka. They also agree that whatever sanctions the EU may decide to pursue must affect only officials of the president's regime, and not the Belarusian people as a whole.