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European Council

May I welcome the Foreign Secretary’s words—and indeed, the shadow Foreign Secretary’s words—on Belarus, although I would not be quite so sanguine about the election in Ukraine, where there has been a remarkable victory for old-style conservatives and oligarchs, which is always bad news anywhere in the world? On Belarus and, to an extent, Ukraine, is not the problem that Europe does not know how to spread and promote democracy? Will the Foreign Secretary ask one of his bright young officials in the Foreign Office to produce a paper on creating a European foundation for democracy, roughly based on the way in which the Westminster Foundation for Democracy works? There are €140 million unspent in Brussels for democracy and human rights promotion. Both the Council and the Commission are not very good at that kind of work. I invite him to see whether Europe cannot be bolder and more original in promoting democracy in its near abroad.