Visit of PACE delegation should contribute to restoration of Belarus’ special guest status
MINSK, February 16 (BelTA) – The visit of the PACE delegation to Minsk is to encourage the re-establishment of Belarus’ special guest status in this organization, Boris Batura, Chairman of the Council of Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus, said as he met with Chairperson of the PACE Political Affairs Committee Goran Lindblad on February 16.
“We hope that the visit of the PACE delegation to Belarus will result in the practical consideration of the re-establishment of Belarus’ special guest status and we are ready for constructive cooperation,” Boris Batura said.
The head of the PACE delegation, in turn, also expressed his hope that Minsk will start working on the restoration of Belarus’ status in PACE.
The Chairman of the Council of Republic pointed out that the cooperation with the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly is among the priorities of the country’s foreign policy. “I think our cooperation potential is huge and we would like to join a number of PA legal institutions, in particular, in the law enforcement area,” he said.
Boris Batura noted that Belarus shows understanding towards a requirement to abolish the death penalty. “You know about the steps Belarus has undertaken in this area, but a lot has been done to shape the public opinion. Here we hope for the constructive cooperation with the Council of Europe,” Boris Batura said.
He suggested holding a roundtable on the abolition of the death penalty with the participation of Belarusian law-makers within the framework of the PACE session in June and to arrange a trip of Belarus’ representatives to a country which has recently abolished or imposed a moratorium on the death penalty.
