OREANDA-NEWS  On 21 October was announced, that the European Union will send a mission to Belarus to promote political and economic relations, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said during a joint press conference with Belarus’ Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov.

“An EU mission will soon leave for Minsk to outline the way we could develop political and economic relations with Belarus,” he said.

“Belarus is ready to develop productive relations with the EU. We are ready to move along this path,” Martynov said.

The bloc’s foreign ministers yesterday suspended a travel ban on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and other officials.

The ministers said the move to lift the visa restrictions against most of Belarus's leaders should help to “encourage dialogue” and democratic reforms in the country.

The decision to impose a travel ban and freeze the assets of 41 leading Belarusian officials was taken in 2006 after the country’s presidential elections, which the EU considered in breach of democratic standards. Ministers yesterday decided to suspend the ban for six months, “with the exception of those involved in the disappearances which occurred in 1999 and 2000 and of the President of the Central Electoral Commission”, after which it would be reassessed, while leaving the assets freeze in place.