EU urges Belarus to release detained opposition activists

Thousands of people took to the streets after election results gave Belarusian permanent leader Alexander Lukashenko - often referred to as "Europe's last dictator" - 79.7 percent of the vote. Police then dispersed the demonstration having detained more than 630 people.

About 400 have been released so far.

"The decision [over Belarus' participation in EU summit] has yet been made. The invitations have yet been sent. But Belarus officials should make peculiar steps in order to receive the invitation," Kontra said, adding that all those detained during the post-election protest must be released.

On Tuesday Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said that Lukashenko may be put back on the EU entry ban list.

Lukashenko and 40 other officials were banned from entering the EU after similar post-election riots in 2006.

Bildt also said that Belarus may see none of the EU's pre-election offer of 3 billion euros ($4 billion) in economic aid over the next three years. Kazinform cites RIA Novosti. See www.en.rian.ru for full version