Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Benedetto Della Vedova will arrive tomorrow in Minsk for meetings with authorities of the Republic of Belarus that will include Deputy Foreign Minister Alena Kupchina and Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko.
Della Vedova will also meet in Minsk with representatives of the political opposition and of local NGOs active in the defence of human rights and civil liberties.
The under-secretary’s mission is aimed at encouraging further progress in human rights in light of positive developments in that field in Belarus over recent years, which could pave the way to a leap of quality in relations between Minsk and the EU, not least ahead of the Riga summit of the Eastern Partnership planned for 21-22 May next.
“Bilateral economic and trade relations with Italy could also benefit significantly from the process launched by the Belarus authorities in terms of human rights”, Della Vedova observed, who also noted “Belarus’ much appreciated role in seeking a political settlement to the Ukraine crisis”.
