High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell called the Foreign Minister of Belarus Vladimir Makei on Friday night to speak about the developments in Belarus since the 9 August Presidential elections.
The High Representative reiterated the EU’s position as expressed on several occasions including most recently by EU leaders at the European Council meeting on 1 October.
The High Representative reiterated the EU’s expectation that the Belarusian authorities end violence and repression against citizens, release all detainees and political prisoners, respect media freedom and civil society, and he urged the Belarusian authorities to start an inclusive national dialogue. In this respect, High Representative/Vice-President Borrell highlighted the EU’s support to the Albanian OSCE chairmanship-in-office and incoming Swedish OSCE chairperson-in-office’s proposal to support dialogue in Belarus by a joint visit and encouraged Belarus to accept this proposal.
The High Representative/Vice-President expressed full EU solidarity with Poland and Lithuania regarding the unfounded and regrettable demand of the Belarusian authorities to withdraw their Ambassadors and significantly reduce their diplomatic representations in Minsk. He stressed that the EU is united in its position regarding the situation in Belarus. Attempts by the Belarusian authorities to target certain EU Member States will not succeed in weakening EU unity.
High Representative/Vice-President Borrell reiterated the EU’s strong support to Belarus’ independence and sovereignty, legitimate demands of the Belarusian people and respect for their rights and democratic choice as a fundamental element, and stressed the importance of keeping channels of communication open.