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The Chancellor was invited by the Polish presidency to attend the second summit meeting of the Eastern Partnership held in Warsaw yesterday. The EU heads of state and government are discussing ways of coming closer in economic and political terms with representatives of six former Soviet republics.

The Eastern Partnership structures the relations between the EU and the Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. It was founded at a summit meeting held in Prague in May 2009. Its main goal is to bring the EU and these partner countries closer in political and economic terms. Alongside closer cooperation at government level, contacts between the peoples of the states involved are also to be encouraged. EU accession is not an issue within the Eastern Partnership.

"The opposition is suffering"

During the Eastern Partnership summit meeting Angela Merkel met representatives of the Belarusian opposition.

The Chancellor was moved by their portrayal of the political situation in Belarus, especially the fate of individual opposition politicians. "It must be said that the way this regime is dealing with the opposition is completely unacceptable. The opposition is suffering."

Angela Merkel confirmed that the German government will continue to work for the liberation and rehabilitation of all political prisoners. The German government is also calling at European level for targeted sanctions against the regime in Belarus. 

A dialogue with the President of Belarus is only to be resumed once the repression in Belarus comes to an end, underscored the Chancellor.At the same time the German government is willing, at European level, to support a legitimate government elected in free and fair democratic elections.