Italy has pledged support for the Polish candidature of Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz to head the Council of Europe.

No agreement has been made as to the future post of the chairman of the European Parliament where Poland’s candidate Jerzy Buzek will be facing his Italian contender Mario Mauro.

Speaking after his Tuesday meeting in Warsaw with visiting Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi, the Polish government head said nothing has changed to date on the matter. Donald Tusk also used the opportunity to thank his guest for the support of the EU Eastern Partnership project initiated by Poland and Sweden.

Silvio Berlusconi, on his part, stated that Europe cannot turn its back on Belarus and explained the motives of his meeting with president Aleksander Lukashenka on Monday: “I decided on this because I’m of the opinion that there is a need to talk, to confront, to meet each other. I believe the time has come for Belarus to start reforms which will put the country on the road to democracy. Thanks to this Belarus shall also find itself closer to Europe.”

Turning to Polish-Italian relations Mr. Berlusconi noted with satisfaction that both countries share similar outlook on a number of key foreign policy issues.

SS