EU to open mission in Minsk
The journalists of the European Radio for Belarus confirm reports about the opening of the European Commission's representative office in Belarus. After information about the opening of the representatives office of the European Commission in Belarusd appeared in Internet, correspondents of the European Radio for Belarus called the head of the mission Mr. Holzapfel, who is already in Minsk. He agreed to answer several questions for the European Radio for Belarus.
ERB: Can you confirm information that a full-fledged mission of the European Union is to be opened in Minsk? It is true?
Mr. Holzapfel, the head of the mission: Yes, this is what we are trying to do. We have already received a preliminary agreement from the official authorities.
ERB: Have you already been granted permission from the Foreign Ministry of Belarus?
Mr. Holzapfel: No. So far, we have a preliminary agreement to go on with the talks.
ERB: For how long are the negotiations to continue?
Mr. Holzapfel: Now I cannot answer this question, because I am to meet with the officials from the Belaus Foreign Ministry only tomorrow. I believe that journalists should pose this question to the foreign ministry.
ERB: Which mandate is the European Commission going to have?
Mr. Holzapfel: If we agree upon the opening of the EU mission, we will have more powers and we will be able to coordinate our actions directly from Belarus and not from outside.
ERB: What is the EU's position about the opening of its mission in Belarus? Is it a step by the Belarusian authorities forward to Europe? Is it an attempt to eventually begin a dialogue between Europe and Belarus?
Mr. Holzapfel: We have tried to open the EU mission in Belarus for a longt time. There is the Belarusian Embassy in Brussels. I think that it is totally normal to open our mission here as well.
ERB: Can you confirm information that a full-fledged mission of the European Union is to be opened in Minsk? It is true?
Mr. Holzapfel, the head of the mission: Yes, this is what we are trying to do. We have already received a preliminary agreement from the official authorities.
ERB: Have you already been granted permission from the Foreign Ministry of Belarus?
Mr. Holzapfel: No. So far, we have a preliminary agreement to go on with the talks.
ERB: For how long are the negotiations to continue?
Mr. Holzapfel: Now I cannot answer this question, because I am to meet with the officials from the Belaus Foreign Ministry only tomorrow. I believe that journalists should pose this question to the foreign ministry.
ERB: Which mandate is the European Commission going to have?
Mr. Holzapfel: If we agree upon the opening of the EU mission, we will have more powers and we will be able to coordinate our actions directly from Belarus and not from outside.
ERB: What is the EU's position about the opening of its mission in Belarus? Is it a step by the Belarusian authorities forward to Europe? Is it an attempt to eventually begin a dialogue between Europe and Belarus?
Mr. Holzapfel: We have tried to open the EU mission in Belarus for a longt time. There is the Belarusian Embassy in Brussels. I think that it is totally normal to open our mission here as well.
