The head of PACE is still hoping for a dialogue with Lukashenka.
The 12 years of Lukashenka’s rule were not enough for Europe to develop a unilateral position towards Belarus. While the European Parliament and the structures close to it have a strict stand towards „the last European dictator“, PACE is hoping that Lukashenka will soften his hear and embrace the democratisation proposals.
René van der Linden, president of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), said during the lunch of the first Parliamentary Assembly video-blogin Strasburg on April 16, that “it is time now for the Belarusian authorities to show their intention to become closer to the European structures and the Council of Europe”. He reminded of his visit to Belarus in January, 2007, as a sign which demonstrates the readiness of PACE and the Council of Europe to the dialogue with Belarus.
He had to admit, though, that his interview, which he gave to the Belarusian state television during that visit, was “slightly manipulated”. He was speaking to the journalists about "the prisoners considered as political prisoners" in Belarus, but his words were translated as if he spoke about “the politics of the president”.
In fact, Europe indeed seems to be slightly manipulated by Lukashenka. With the Belarus-Russian relations in their low, Europe is trying to use the moment to persuade Lukashenka to start a dialogue. He says he is ready – but without any conditions. That means the political prisoners will stay in their cells and labor camps, the independent press will be suppressed, and there will be no free elections. The issue is hopeless, and the whole European-Belarus political trade is mostly needed for Lukashenka to threaten the Kremlin, which would hate to see Belarus turning its back at the big Eastern brother completely (unlikely, but who knows?).
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