| 30 July 2009 Minister for Foreign Affairs of Belarus Sergei Martynov took part in the meeting of the EU Troika and Belarus at the ministerial level on 28 July 2009 in Brussels. The European side was represented by Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Carl Bildt, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, EU Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner. The meeting participants exchanged their views on the current state and perspectives of the Belarus-EU relations, including the Eastern Partnership framework. Belarus underscored the importance of continuing the joint efforts to normalize the Belarus-EU dialogue, developing the legal basis of cooperation, removing the trade barriers, intensifying the sectoral interaction in the spheres of mutual interest as well as easing the visa regime for Belarus citizens. The parties also touched upon the perspectives of providing assistance by the European Union to Belarus to mitigate the consequences of the global financial and economic crisis, and securing a full-fledged access to loans and investments of international financial institutions, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank. While in Brussels, Sergei Martynov met with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Vigaudas Ushatskas, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, EU Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Lászlό Kovács.
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