Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton on the request of the Belarusian authorities that the EU Head Delegation and Polish Ambassador to Minsk leave the country for consultations

Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security
Policy and Vice President of the Commission, made today the following statement:

"Following today's request by the Belarusian authorities that the Head of  the EU Delegation in Minsk and the Ambassador of Poland to Belarus leave the country for consultations, I have decided, in coordination with Foreign Minister Sikorski, that we will recall for consultations our two ambassadors.

At the same time, I have called a meeting of Member States Ambassadors (PSC) in Brussels today to coordinate our response. In an expression of solidarity and unity, it was  agreed that the ambassadors of the EU Member States in Minsk will all be withdrawn for consultations to their capitals. All EU Member States will also summon Belarusian ambassadors to their foreign ministries. 

We will continue to follow the situation closely."

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/...

News of Belarus

Belarus: a month after December 19th. What's next? Press conference

On 19 January 2011, the Belarusian Human Rights House is hosting a press conference on the human rights situation in Belarus. International experts and representatives of human rights organizations from different countries will present their assessment of what is happening in Belarus from the human rights perspective.

When: Wednesday, 19 January 2011, 13:00

Where: Vilnius, Latako str. 3

Host: Belarusian Human Rights House

Contact: ( +370 5 212 7703 )

Пресс-конференция в Беларусском Доме прав человека

Belarus: a month after December 19th: Tragedy for one country or for the whole Europe?

Беларусь: месяц после 19 декабря: трагедия для одной страны или для всей Европы?

Search in the office of the unregistered Human Rights Protection Center “Vyasna” (Minsk)

At the moment search in the office of the unregistered Human Rights Protection Center “Vyasna” (Minsk) has started. One representative of the Committee On State Security (KGB), three unknown persons, 2 legal witnesses required by the procedure and chairman Ales Belyatskiy are inside. Representatives of the International Monitoring Mission of the Committee on International Control over the Human Rights Situation in Belarus and local human rights defenders are at place waiting for the end of the search procedure.