Belarus allows EU to open office, wants better ties

MINSK, Apr 26 (Reuters) Belarussian authorities, accused in the West of rights breaches, agreed today to allow the European Union to open an office and President Alexander Lukashenko said he expected gestures in return from the bloc.

The EU and the United States last year barred entry to Lukashenko on grounds that he rigged his re-election to a third term. Both have long accused Lukashenko of crushing all opposition and clamping down on independent media.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Popov announced the opening of the office for the EU's Executive Commission, saying the measure was intended to ''smooth relations''.

''This is an act of good will on our part,'' Belarussian media quoted Lukashenko as saying on a tour of eastern Belarus.

''We will, in turn, expect appropriate measures from the Europeans. If none follow, it will be clear that Europe does not want a dialogue of equals with Belarus.'' Belarus has quarrelled with traditional ally Russia over increases in the price of gas from its eastern neighbour and reductions in oil subsidies.

Lukashenko has since called for improved ties with the West, but denies human rights are violated in his country of 10 million and dismisses any notion of concessions on the issue.

The EU has proposed a plan to improve relations with Belarus, offering financial aid, trade concessions and easier visa conditions if the ex-Soviet state allows the opposition to operate freely and releases what it calls political prisoners.

Western countries have long called for the release of at least 10 people they describe as political prisoners.

These include Alexander Kozulin, who ran in last year's presidential race and was jailed for 5 1/2 years for helping organise big protests in Minsk sparked by results declaring Lukashenko the winner with 83 percent of the vote.

A top US diplomat has warned Belarus that Washington could impose new sanctions on the ex-Soviet state if authorities acted against a opposition demonstration on Thursday to mark the 21st anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster.

REUTERS JS ND2032