Negotiations with the authorities are impossible without the release of political prisoners

Without the release of political prisoners the negotiations with the authorities are impossible - this is the common opinion of opposition parties and movements' leaders, who discussed possible format of the dialogue with the authorities at the meeting on August 30 in Minsk.

"All agreed that the format of any dialogue is impossible without the release of political prisoners," told BelaPAN the one of participants, the co-chairman of the organizing committee of Belarusian Christian Democracy party and former presidential candidate, Vital Rymasheski.

Today's meeting was initiated by the United Civil Party (UCP) after Alexander Lukashenko's statements made on the eve.

Speaking at the pedagogical community conference, he proposed to "all sensible people who love their country, of whatever political camp they belong to, to sit at a round table, look in each others eyes and really evaluate who is worth of what, and what can be done to effectively improve the situation in the country". "Do you want to fight and struggle - please: fight in open debate, prove your correctness, defend your point of view", added Lukashenko.

The opposition meeting was attended by representatives of the United Civil Party, Belarusian Popular Front Party, the Belarusian United Left Party "Fair World", the movements For Freedom and Tell the truth!, the Belarusian Christian Democracy party organizing committee in order to discuss the possibility of dialogue with the authorities.

In turn, the UCP leader Anatol Lyabedzka told BelaPAN that the opposition is ready to negotiate with the government on the basis of "strict agenda and fixed time to implement the reached agreements". The process of negotiations, according to the politician should be based on the points and provisions of "the presented earlier, our commonly approved document, relating to holding of elections, as well as to the economical situation". The first-priority demand, the absence of which makes the negotiations impossible, is the release of political prisoners.

"What concerns Lukashenko's proposal of the round table, we will be able to work out our position and our attitude, only when we have sufficient information. This applies to the agenda of this round table, its subjectivity, goals and objectives. Without all these components, we do not consider it necessary to somehow formally respond to the statement", said Anatol Lyabedzka.

Among the issues, which should be brought up for discussion as the principle ones, the opposition leaders called the election legislation and Belarus way out the crisis.