EU foreign ministers on Monday failed to agree sanctions over the political crisis in Belarus, despite a plea for support from Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya.
The former Soviet republic has been convulsed by unprecedented demonstrations and a brutal crackdown by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko since he was returned to power in a disputed Aug. 9 election.
Tikhanovskaya met EU foreign ministers in Brussels and urged them to sanction Lukashenko, but despite repeated warnings to the strongman, after more than six weeks the bloc has still yet to act.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Cyprus, which has good relations with Russia, Lukashenko’s key ally, has blocked EU agreement on measures against Belarus, insisting that sanctions against Turkey over a maritime gas drilling dispute must be agreed at the same time.
“Although there is a clear will to adopt these sanctions, it has not been possible to do that today because the required unanimity was not reached,” EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell told reporters after hosting the talks.
Cyprus’s position has support from some EU countries, but the patience of others is wearing thin.
“It is regrettable that today we could not decide on sanctions on violations of human rights there due to ‘a hostage taking’ by a member state,” Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkevics wrote on Twitter. “Sends a wrong signal to Belarusians, our societies and the whole world.”
Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Christodoulides defended his country’s stance, insisting the EU must have a coherent response to violations of sovereignty and human rights.
“Our reaction to any kind of violation of our core basic values and principles, cannot be a la carte. It needs to be consistent,” he said.
French Secretary of State for European Affairs Clement Beaune told reporters in Brussels he understood Cypriot concerns about Turkey.
“I think we have to unblock this, untie this bond. We must be able to make progress on the sanctions against Belarus, this does not weaken Europe — on the contrary,” he added.
The matter is now to be considered by EU leaders at a summit in Brussels tomorrow and Friday.
Borrell said he wanted the sanctions signed off before the next meeting of foreign ministers next month, warning that “the credibility” of the EU depended on it.
After meeting the EU ministers, Tikhanovskaya told reporters that sanctions were a key tool to “force the so-called authorities to start dialogue with us.”
“I think leaders have reasons not to push for these sanctions but at this meeting I asked just to be more brave in their decisions,” she said.
The EU and other Western powers have rejected the result of the election, saying the poll was not free and fair, and Brussels has drawn up a list of about 40 members of Lukashenko’s regime to hit with asset freezes and travel bans.
“We must also address the question of whether Mr Lukashenko, who is the main responsible, should not also be sanctioned by the European Union,” German Minister of Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas said.
Tikhanovskaya, who fled to Lithuania for her own safety after the election, backed sanctions on Lukashenko himself.
She also urged the EU to make a formal call for new polls — something it has so far held off from.
The EU is also considering what finance could be given to civil society in Belarus, after Poland called for a 1 billion euro (US$1.17 billion) stabilization fund to help the country.
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