Взаимодействие Республики Беларусь с ведущими европейскими организациями в конце 1990-х гг.

Abstract

The article reviews the main directions of the collaboration and interaction of the Republic of Belarus with the leading European organizations in the late 1990s; with such bodies as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the European Union (EU), the Council of Europe (CE), regional European organizations, in particular, the Central European Initiative and international financial organizations. The authors emphasize the importance of realizing the European vector of the foreign policy of Belarus, which consists of providing active participation of the country in the common European process and creating the all-European security system. One of the ways of implementing that is participation of Belarus in the work of the leading European organisations. The article considers Belarus participation in the OSCE which is one of the main all-European political institutions in collaboration in the field of preventive and post-conflict diplomacy, the human rights monitoring and creating the European security system. The OSCE position is analysed, which consists of the recognition of the necessity of a stageby- stage constructive dialogue with Belarus, with the work with the OSCE Adviser and Monitoring Group acquiring special importance as an instrument of bringing the relations with the Western states to normal. The authors make a special point of the necessity to impart a balanced a dynamic character to the relations with the European Union, which intends to pursue further the implementation of the policy aimed at progressive and consistent development of the relations with Belarus. The article analyses the negotiation process between the EU and Belarus in which the EU attaches specialsignificance to the necessity of observance by the Belarusian side of the agreements regarding the developing democratic process, respect for the basic principles of democracy, maintaining a dialogue with the opposition and observance of human rights in the country. The article also stresses the importance of collaboration with the EU within the framework of the agreement on textile trade between the EU and Belarus, the TACIS programme, relaxation of the EU antidumping sanctions on a number of goods exported from Belarus, developing by the European Commission of a humanitarian programmes package for Belarus and so on. The main direction in the relations of Belarus with the Council of Europe is seen in restoring the status of "a special guest" for the National Assembly of Belarus. In this connection the top priority in 2000 will be given to achieving international recognition of the parliamentary elections in the country as free and democratic elections. In the relations with regional European associations great significance is attached to the activity of the Republic of Belarus within the framework of the Central European Initiative (CEI), where Belarus has been a member since 1996. The article emphasized the effectiveness of the CEI strategy aimed at fostering collaboration in Europe not to allow the emergence of n ew lines of separation. The necessity is also pointed out to enhance the collaboration of the Republic of Belarus with international financial and economic organisations — the IMF, the World Bank, the EBRD and others.