Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel will travel to Belarus tomorrow (17 November) to attend the Minsk Forum, which is marking its twentieth anniversary this year.

He will also hold political talks with Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei and President Alexander Lukashenko. The agenda for their talks will include bilateral relations, cooperation on international crises such as the Russia Ukraine conflict and the human rights situation in Belarus. With a view to the EU summit with the Eastern Partnership countries next week, talks will also focus on the possibility of closer relations between Belarus and the EU.