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21 June 2018, 11:12

Lukashenko in talks with European Commissioner Hahn

MINSK, 21 June (BelTA) – Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko is holding talks with European Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn at the Independence Palace, BelTA has learned.

Johannes Hahn is on a visit to Belarus on 21-22 June. He came to take part in the tenth round of informal ministerial talks of foreign ministers and ministers for digital technology of the Eastern Partnership countries. By the way, this is Johannes Hahn's second visit to Minsk and his second meeting with the Belarusian head of state. Johannes Hahn had previously met with the Belarusian leader in January 2018.

The relations between Belarus and the European Union are improving; highest-level contacts have been resumed, just like visits of top officials of the EU agencies and member states to Minsk.

Under the auspices of the EU, the EBRD adopted a four-year strategy on Belarus in 2016. The EBRD is actively collaborating with the Belarusian public sector (only private business projects were financed before). In August 2017 a framework agreement between Belarus and the European Investment Bank came into force. Several major projects in transportation, customs, housing and utilities and banking are being drafted to be financed by the EBRD and the European Investment Bank.

Apart from that, Belarus and the EU are discussing a document formalizing their partnership priorities. This document will define goals and tasks of the parties until 2020 in four crucial areas: public administration, economy and market opportunities, transport, energy efficiency and mitigation of climate change, as well as interpersonal contacts. The financial aid for Belarus in 2018-2020 is conditioned upon signing this document.

Belarus and the EU are in talks on easing visa regulations and on readmission.

The European Union is Belarus' second biggest export destination. Over the four months of 2018 Belarus' export to the EU reached $3.6 billion, up 67% over the same period a year before. Belarus posted a trade surplus of $1.3 billion.

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