Doc. 9513

8 July 2002

Situation in Belarus

Written Question No. 412 to the Committee of Ministers
by Mr Gerrit Valk and Mr Jan Dirk Blaauw

      There is currently no improvement at all in the situation in Belarus;

      The OSCE mission in the country has been unable to continue its work;

      Mr Valk and Mr Blaauw,

To ask the Committee of Ministers

i. what further measures the Committee of Ministers envisages to increase the pressure on the government of Belarus to change its policy;

ii. why Belarus still has an office in the Council of Europe premises paid for by the budget adopted by the Committee of Ministers;

iii. if it agrees with the undersigned that closing the country’s Council of Europe office would send a strong signal to the government of Belarus.

Signed : ¹

Valk, Netherlands, SOC

Blaauw, Netherlands, LDR

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      LDR: Liberal, Democratic and reformers' Group