Belarus had asked the EU and Poland's ambassador to leave the country after new sanctions were imposed on the ex-Soviet state in protest against Minsk's worsening its human rights record.
The tit-for-tat decision to withdraw all EU member state diplomats from Belarus was taken following an emergency meeting in Brussels called by foreign policy chief Lady Ashton late last night.
“In a gesture of solidarity and unity we have decided that all ambassadors of European Union countries in Minsk will be called back to their capitals for consultations,” Catherine Ashton said.
President of the European Parliament. Martin Schulz called the decision to expel Polish and EU ambassadors from Minsk, “an act of hostility” by Belarusian authorities and “disproportionate and counterproductive”.
Poland's Foreign Ministry spokesman Marcin Bosacki issued a statement yesterday saying: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to announce that it regards this as an unfriendly step taken by Belarus towards the whole European Union. The European Union will respond to this measure.
“The Belarus authorities have long been aware of the terms on which a resumption of dialogue with the EU is possible: putting a stop to repressions against the civil society in Belarus and embarking on the path towards democratisation,” the Foreign Ministry said.
Last dictator
Support for came from individual member states last night after the expelling of diplomats by the Lukashenko government.
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said in Brussels: "This is the last dictatorship, the last dictator in Europe, and we will not let ourselves be intimidated by such actions against a European institution or against a member state. The European Union and Poland can rely on Germany's solidarity. The dictator fools himself when he thinks he can divide us.”
The UK's foreign secretary, William Hague released a statement saying that: “In light of this most recent development, the UK has decided, in solidarity with all other EU Member States, to recall for consultations its Ambassador to Minsk and to summon the Belarusian Ambassador to the UK to the Foreign Office.”
Rising tension
Tensions between Belarus and EU states, particularly Poland have worsened considerably since what Brussels regards as rigged presidential elections in December 2010 which saw the re-election, for the fourth time, of the authoritarian Aleksander Lukashenko.
Mass arrests and imprisonment followed protests against the “rigged” elections.
President Lukashenko has also regarded political leaders of the Polish minority in Belarus as leading protests against the regime. (pg)