EU states agree to invite Belarus minister

PHILIPPA RUNNER Today @ 17:43 CET EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU states have agreed to invite Belarus foreign minister Sergei Martynov to a prestigious meeting in Brussels, as the French EU presidency struggles to counter Russian diplomacy on the union's eastern fringe. The Belarusian minister is to take part in a "troika" gathering with EU foreign relations chief Javier Solana, external relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner on 13 October, on the margins of a wider EU foreign ministers' meeting on the same day. The Belarusian foreign minister is to take part in a "troika" gathering with EU top foreign policy officials (Photo: www.president.gov.by) Senior EU diplomats made the decision in Brussels on Friday (4 October), with Mr Kouchner's office set to rubber-stamp the move... [read full story]