MINSK, 25 November (BelTA) – Belarus and the European Union will hold technical consultations on a agreement to facilitate the process of issuing visas, Belarus’ Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alena Kupchyna told the media.
“We will hold technical consultations. There are issues which are still open on both the sides,” Alena Kupchyna said, adding that these matters should be discussed, including in the light of a new migration situation in the EU.
The deputy minister said that the parties need to ‘clarify the positions’. Belarus is, first of all, interested in discussing a readmission agreement. “We are ready to undertake the corresponding obligations. However, there is a transition period issue which needs to be talked over,” she explained. Belarus is in favor of a three-year transition period.
The technical consultations will also consider the issue of diplomatic passports. This is, however, is not the top issue on the agenda, Alena Kupchyna stressed.
“We believe that the package of agreements should be signed, but still we need to coordinate many technical moments,” the deputy minister added.