Minister Frattini meets with the Belarus Foreign Minister

Minister Frattini meets with the Belarus Foreign Minister

Rome 22 December 2010

Minister for Foreign Affairs Franco Frattini held a meeting today at the foreign ministry in Rome with the Italian families that have completed the international adoption process for Belarus children hosted in Italy in the context of a therapeutic programme for children affected by the events at Chernobyl. Participants in the meeting included the foreign minister of Belarus Martynov, Cardinal Mamberti of the Holy See, as well as the Hon. Giovanardi.

Expressing his congratulations to the families present, Minister Frattini also thanked the Holy See for its active role in facilitating a positive solution to the cases pending, as well as his hopes that other pending cases would soon be resolved.

Minister Martynov presented Minister Frattini with a list of 100 children the Belarus authorities consider eligible for adoption, thereby meeting the expectations of those Italian families still waiting. A common commitment was confirmed to seek a trilateral consultation mechanism—Italian government, Holy See and Belarus government—for the monitoring of such adoption cases.

During a subsequent bilateral meeting between Ministers Frattini and Martynov, the latter confirmed his government’s willingness to pursue constructive political cooperation with the European Union, particularly in the context of the Eastern Partnership.

Minister Frattini reiterated Italy’s deep concern regarding the actions of the Belarus government following last Sunday’s presidential elections. Minister Martynov delivered Minister Frattini documentation to be examined in advance of the final and soon to be published OSCE report. Minister Frattini plans to report to his European colleagues on his meeting with Minister Martynov.