Resolution of the Conference of the Belarusan National Platform (November 4, 2013)

Based on the results of Conference of the National Platform of the EaP CSF, that took place in Minsk on November 4, the participants have adopted a resolution, which full text is offered at the site.

Resolution

of the Conference of the Belarusan National Platform
of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum:

“The Future of the Civil Society Forum in focus the third Summit of the Eastern Partnership”

Minsk, 4 November 2013

We, the participants of the Conference of Belarusan National Platform of the Civil Society Forum of the Eastern Partnership, welcome success of this program the regional level on the eve of the third Summit of the Eastern Partnership, which will be held 28-29 November 2013 in Vilnius and which can be a starting point for change in the political configuration in the region.

For almost five years of its existence, the EU initiative Eastern Partnership was able to draw on the path of European integration serial number of post-Soviet countries.

At the same time, we note some concerns both within the Eastern Partnership initiative and beyond:

1. The expected results for the third Summit of the Eastern Partnership will inevitably lead to qualitative changes in the political situation in the region: Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia are expected to take the path of deeper European integration, and therefore will strengthen the EU's influence on the process of development of these countries;
2. Other countries participating of the Eastern Partnership, such as Belarus, Azerbaijan and Armenia, now do not show progress in the European vector of foreign policy, and may be secondary participants of the Eastern Partnership;
3. In this situation, there is a strong possibility of diversification of relations with the countries of the Eastern Partnership of the European Union, as those countries that are more advanced on the path of European integration, will now be occupied by the practical implementation of the reform developments. At the same time, countries that show little progress, remain outside the process of rapprochement with the European Union;
4. Nowadays there is the rise of antagonism between the various regional integration programs in the region on a number of parameters: deepening of European integration in the framework of the Eastern Partnership and the process of creation of the Eurasian Economic Union.

Belarusan National Platform, sharing the goals and values of the Eastern Partnership, sees this initiative as a tool of development of Belarusan society, and stresses the role of civil society in the country as active stakeholders in the process of approximation of Belarus to the European standards.

Realizing the importance of the degree of threats and challenges, as well as its own responsibility in this situation, we call upon all countries of the Eastern Partnership and the European Union:

• Avoid unequal treatment of the EaP countries, depending on the degree of progress in the dialogue with Europe. Make every effort to preserve and enhance the role of civil society in the future design of the Eastern Partnership. We emphasize the indispensability of the involvement of civil society in the practical implementation of reforms and monitoring them in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. In Azerbaijan, Armenia and Belarus while the passivity of the national governments only the expansion of involvement of civil society will contribute to the Europeanization of the society and promote the ideas of European integration;
• Make all the efforts to reduce degree of confrontation and removing the contentious issues between the processes of development of the Eastern Partnership and the Eurasian Economic Union. Search for compromise on controversial issues is needed to reduce tension in the region and the normalize relations between the neighboring countries.

Taking into account the following factors:

• Eurasian integration, which Belarus is focused at, is in a state of uncertainty and lacks a joint vision of the participants;
• Republic of Belarus is a country with the lowest level of interaction with the United Europe without having adequate time contractual basis for constructing the corresponding relations.

We express our concern that the lack of progress in the framework of the Eastern Partnership from Belarus could lead to increased international isolation of the country, deepening further marginalization of its role in the foreign policy, including the regional processes. This will lead to a very negative impact on the development of the Republic of Belarus as a sovereign self-sufficient country in historical perspective.

In this regard, we call upon the Belarusan authorities to:

• A responsible approach to the issue of participation in the upcoming Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius, to be represented at a level not lower than the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Belarus. This level of representation is necessary to carry out “the minimal objective” — namely, saving prospects of participation of Belarus in the Eastern Partnership and provide multi-vector foreign policy declared the country's leadership;
• Take into account that in the actual moment the main problem for a return to the implementation of effective, sustainable and balanced foreign policy of Belarus is the issue of political prisoners. We emphasize the need to release them unconditionally before the Eastern Partnership Summit, demonstrating by that not only pragmatism in the foreign policy but also humanity as a feature of the modern civilized world.

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See also: Comments on the Strategy of the EaP CSF for 2014-2016