Foreign Minister Syarhey Martynaw on Tuesday expressed hope that the European Union would simplify its visa rules for Belarusian citizens soon.
Mr. Martynaw made the remark at a meeting of the foreign ministers of the EU's member states and the European Partnership participating countries in Brussels on December 8, according to the Belarusian foreign ministry's press office.
He reportedly noted the decisions made by the EU Council of Foreign Ministers on November 17, which he said open a path toward easier and cheaper visa formalities for Belarusians.
Mr. Martynaw called for the strict observation of the Eastern Partnership Prague Declaration, in particular the principles of transparency, responsibility and mutual respect, the press office said. The Belarusian minister stressed that the observation of the principles was key to making the program strategically successful.
Mr. Martynaw reportedly called on the European Union to focus its efforts on project-oriented activities and speed up the work to set procedures for the consideration and approval of Eastern Partnership projects and involve international financial institutions in their implementation.
The Belarusian minister and his Lithuanian and Ukrainian counterparts submitted a joint list of proposed Eastern Partnership projects to the European Commission, the press office said.
Mr. Martynaw also spoke about Belarus' proposals for short-term steps by the European Union toward the improvement of the Eastern Partnership's potential in relations with the country. The proposals deal with, above all, steps to give Belarusian-made goods better access to the EU market, the press office said.
