| 5 March 2010 On 1–2 March 2010, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Sergei Martynov met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Péter Balázs to discuss further development of the relationship between the two countries. They agreed to intensify regular contacts between the Foreign and other Ministries. The Belarus-EU dialogue and Eastern Partnership (EP) were in the limelight of the discussion. The two Ministers discussed projects which could be delivered for the benefits of the Eastern Partnership participating. During his visit to Hungary Sergei Martynov participated in a joint ministerial meeting Visegrad Group + Eastern Partnership + Baltic States + EU Troika held on the initiative of Hungary as the incumbent chair of V4. The meeting provided for a root-and-branch discussion over the ways of the implementation of the Eastern Partnership programme. The participating countries flagged up their interest in having a well substantialized Eastern Partnership, with active project activities. The need for money of the European financial institutions to help realize the EP projects was noted as critical. The ministerial meeting also concentrated on facilitating visa regime between the EU and participating countries. The meeting voiced support for creating a group of friends of the Eastern Partnership to encourage participation of third countries in carrying out major projects of regional nature. At the meeting, Sergei Martynov highlighted the Belarus approach towards the Eastern Partnership, its project activities and parliamentary dimension. He announced a number of proposals to help to ensure the EP is a genuinely vibrant and action-oriented initiative. In particular, he proposed to hold in the European capitals kind of showcases of projects to be implemented under the EP to attract support of major international donors, and to create a forum of the Eastern development that would see producers, businesses, investors, banks and experts of the EP participating countries and EU Member States linked into a single network. The Foreign Minister also met bilaterally with a number of his counterparts and later addressed the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs.
| 
