British ambassador: EU enlargement represents no threat to Belarus

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British Ambassador Brian Bennett stressed that the European Union (EU)'s enlargement represents no threat to Belarus. Talking to reporters in Minsk on Monday, the diplomat noted that the EU is interested in developing close ties with all neighbors, including with Belarus.

Maira Mora, head of Latvia's diplomatic mission in Minsk, said that Belarus' trade with the three Baltic states has nearly doubled after their accession to the EU on May 1, 2004.
"The fears that our accession to the EU might somehow affect economic and trade relations have proved wrong," she said, expressing a high opinion of economic ties between Belarus and Latvia.

Polish Ambassador Tadeusz Pawlak noted that his country has always advocated close relations between Belarus and the EU. Trade between Belarus and Poland has been on the rise after the latter joined the European Union, he said. Although bilateral political contacts "leave much to be desired," this will not affect the development of active economic ties, the ambassador added.