Lukashenko pledges to free opposition activists - report

LONDON, September 2 (Itar-Tass) -- Belarussian President Alexander
Lukashenko is ready to free all jailed political activists by early
October to improve ties with the European Union, according to a document
obtained by Reuters on Thursday.
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolai Mladenov met Lukashenko in Minsk
last week and outlined then proposals of the president in a letter to EU
foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and foreign ministers of the
27-nation bloc.
Reuters obtained a copy of the letter which said Lukashenko agreed to
release at least four prisoners by the end of this week and drop charges
against another two. All remaining political activists would be released
by the start of October.
The letter also said Lukashenko would call for talks with the
opposition on the country's future and would urge the EU to send a team of
"wise men" to Minsk to monitor and facilitate such talks.
Mladenov said in his letter Lukashenko's interest in renewing contacts
with the EU "may have been driven by the financial restraints that the
government is facing, as well as the effect of the sanctions and the
external environment in general."
EU foreign ministers are due to discuss Belarus on Saturday in Poland.