Belarus–Netherlands relations
Encyclopedia
Belarus–Netherlands relations are foreign relations between Belarus
and the Netherlands
. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1994. Belarus has an embassy and an honorary consulate in The Hague
. The Netherlands is represented in Belarus through its embassy in Warsaw
(Poland
) and through an honorary consulate in Minsk
. Both countries are full members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
.
There is no direct contact between the two countries at the government level, since the European Union
decided in 1997 that such a level of contact lends legitimacy to a government the EU deems not democratically elected. On Dutch request, the European Union decided in October 2008 to soften the visa restrictions; certain other restrictions remain, such as the freezing of Belarus financial assets, and the Dutch government objects to the normalization of relations between Belarus and the European Union.
The Dutch remain opposed to inviting president Lukashenko to attend a summit in May in Vienna where the program was to be launched; such an invitation, Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs
Maxime Verhagen
contends, "would trivialize his dismal human rights record."
While there are no direct governmental contacts, and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs says there are no "intensive cultural relations" between the two countries (in fact, Belarus does not even qualify for Dutch financial assistance), there do exist relations between the two countries on various levels.
had been vacationing abroad, some 1500 to 2000 of which annually in the Netherlands. In 2008, Belarus refused to give visa to those children after a 16-year old Belarus girl had applied for asylum in the United States
; Belarus also claimed that some children had not returned from vacations in the United States and Italy
. Stichting Rusland Kinderhulp, the organization responsible for the housing of those children in the Netherlands, exerted pressure on the Belarus embassy in The Hague to re-open the borders. An announcement was made around Christmas 2008 that, after months of negotiations between the two countries, a group of children were allowed to spend Christmas in the Netherlands and that the travel ban was postponed until 20 January 2009.
, which were widely criticized by European countries and the US, have added tension to already difficult relationships between the countries. A few Dutch politicians who were to have observed the elections but whose visa were revoked, protested at the Belarus border.
The fallout from the elections led to the arrest of many Belarusian students, and some of them lost their passports. A request by a Dutch political party to the Dutch government to relax passport requirements for such students was denied by the Dutch Minister of Integration and Immigration
, Rita Verdonk
, though Verdonk did promise to exert political pressure on the Belarus government if they refused to grant travel permits to those students. The Netherlands did attempt to pressure the Belarus government; for example, the Dutch foreign minister convinced the European Union that a planned Interpol
summit planned to take place in Minsk
be boycotted. Groups in the Netherlands, meanwhile, protest what they call the lack of political and religious freedom in Belarus,
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1994. Belarus has an embassy and an honorary consulate in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. The Netherlands is represented in Belarus through its embassy in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
(Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) and through an honorary consulate in Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
. Both countries are full members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
.
There is no direct contact between the two countries at the government level, since the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
decided in 1997 that such a level of contact lends legitimacy to a government the EU deems not democratically elected. On Dutch request, the European Union decided in October 2008 to soften the visa restrictions; certain other restrictions remain, such as the freezing of Belarus financial assets, and the Dutch government objects to the normalization of relations between Belarus and the European Union.
The Dutch remain opposed to inviting president Lukashenko to attend a summit in May in Vienna where the program was to be launched; such an invitation, Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs: it is occupied with the external relations of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, including European cooperation and International development...
Maxime Verhagen
Maxime Verhagen
Maxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen is a Dutch politician in the Christian Democratic Appeal party. He is the Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and Deputy Prime Minister since October 14, 2010 in the Cabinet Rutte.He previously served as a Member of the European Parliament for...
contends, "would trivialize his dismal human rights record."
While there are no direct governmental contacts, and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs says there are no "intensive cultural relations" between the two countries (in fact, Belarus does not even qualify for Dutch financial assistance), there do exist relations between the two countries on various levels.
Assistance to Belarussian children
For instance, for many years children suffering from the consequences of the Chernobyl disasterChernobyl disaster
The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine , which was under the direct jurisdiction of the central authorities in Moscow...
had been vacationing abroad, some 1500 to 2000 of which annually in the Netherlands. In 2008, Belarus refused to give visa to those children after a 16-year old Belarus girl had applied for asylum in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
; Belarus also claimed that some children had not returned from vacations in the United States and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Stichting Rusland Kinderhulp, the organization responsible for the housing of those children in the Netherlands, exerted pressure on the Belarus embassy in The Hague to re-open the borders. An announcement was made around Christmas 2008 that, after months of negotiations between the two countries, a group of children were allowed to spend Christmas in the Netherlands and that the travel ban was postponed until 20 January 2009.
Reaction to 2006 Belarusian presidential election
Events surrounding the Belarusian presidential election, 2006Belarusian presidential election, 2006
Presidential elections were held in Belarus on 19 March 2006. The result was a victory for incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko, who received 84.4% of the vote. However, western observers deemed the elections rigged...
, which were widely criticized by European countries and the US, have added tension to already difficult relationships between the countries. A few Dutch politicians who were to have observed the elections but whose visa were revoked, protested at the Belarus border.
The fallout from the elections led to the arrest of many Belarusian students, and some of them lost their passports. A request by a Dutch political party to the Dutch government to relax passport requirements for such students was denied by the Dutch Minister of Integration and Immigration
Ministry of Justice (Netherlands)
The Ministry of Security and Justice is the Dutch ministry of justice. Until 14 October 2010, the ministry was just called Ministry of Justice , but at the start of the Rutte cabinet, the name changed because it had taken over some public safety duties from the Ministry of the Interior...
, Rita Verdonk
Rita Verdonk
Maria Cornelia Frederika "Rita" Verdonk is a retired Dutch politician initially of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy until she was expelled in October 2007, she later formed her own party Proud of the Netherlands . She served as Minister for Integration and Immigration in Cabinets...
, though Verdonk did promise to exert political pressure on the Belarus government if they refused to grant travel permits to those students. The Netherlands did attempt to pressure the Belarus government; for example, the Dutch foreign minister convinced the European Union that a planned Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
summit planned to take place in Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
be boycotted. Groups in the Netherlands, meanwhile, protest what they call the lack of political and religious freedom in Belarus,