Dmitry Mironchik Comments on Media Reports Regarding Statements by Dirk Schuebel, Representative of the European External Action Service

19-02-2014

We have learned with surprise from some Belarusian media about the statements by a representative of the European External Action Service Dirk Schuebel following his meeting at Belarus MFA on 18 February 2014, in particular, with regard to the planned consultations on modernization issues between the Republic of Belarus and the European Union.

We note that this is not the first time when representatives of the European institutions distort irresponsibly in their public comments the content and agreements reached after diplomatic negotiations.

The main goal of the meeting between Deputy Foreign Minister Alena Kupchyna and Dirk Schuebel was to prepare the ground for a visit to Minsk by Director for Russia, the Eastern Partnership, Central Asia, regional cooperation and the OSCE of the European External Action Service Gunnar Wiegand to hold the first round of consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and the European External Action Service ‘to determine the best future form of cooperation between the Government of Belarus and the EU on modernization issues’, as it was fixed in Paragraph 29 of the EaP Vilnius Summit Declaration.