10 October 2006 - THE SECOND NATO PA SEMINAR ON BELARUS TO BE HELD IN VILNIUS [PRESS COMMUNIQUE]

Members of the Assembly, together with representatives of democratic Belarusian opposition, NATO and EU officials, diplomats and independent analysts, a total of more than 70 participants, will discuss the political, economic and media situation in this country which is frequently referred to as "the last European dictatorship". The participants will seek an update on the developments in Belarus after the unfair and undemocratic Presidential elections in March 2006. Particular attention will be paid to the question of new, more effective and proactive unified strategies and approaches toward Belarus.

Belarus has not participated in the NATO PA since 1997, when the status of Associate Member (granted in 1991) was suspended as a result of the increasingly undemocratic activities of the Lukashenko regime. On 25 March 2006, the Standing Committee of the NATO PA adopted a declaration which strongly condemned human rights violations and abuses against opposition candidates and called "to actively support the democratic forces and promote the development of civil society in Belarus".