Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security called the PSC meeting this evening. The member states decided to summon their ambassadors from Minsk.
Minsk requested earlier the Ambassador of Poland to Belarus and the Head of the EU Delegation in Minsk to leave the country. Belarus summoned as well their ambassadors from Poland and EU for consultations.
Catherine Ashton made today the following statement:
"Following today's request by the Belarusian authorities that the Head of the EU Delegation in Minsk and the Ambassador of Poland to Belarus leave the country, I have decided, in coordination with Foreign Minister Sikorski, that we will recall for consultations our two ambassadors.
At the same time, I have called a meeting of Member States Ambassadors (PSC) in Brussels today to coordinate our response. In an expression of solidarity and unity, it was agreed that the ambassadors of the EU Member States in Minsk will all be withdrawn for consultations to their capitals. All EU Member States will also summon Belarusian ambassadors to their foreign ministries.
We will continue to follow the situation closely."
consilium.eu, agkm
