European Union member states and other countries pledged a total of 87 million euros (120 million dollars) Wednesday to aid Belarusian society at a donors' conference in Warsaw, dpa quoted Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski as saying. Some 75 per cent of the aid pledged will come from European sources, Sikorski said. Of the total pledges, 15.6 million euros (21.5 million dollars) will come from the European Commission, said European Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule. That amount represents a four-fold increase from the current funding of 4 million euros, he said. The United States delegation said it would increase its aid to Belarus by 30 per cent to 15 million dollars this year. Germany pledged to increase aid from 5.7 million euros to 6.6 million euros (9.1 million dollars). Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said Sweden would donate 7 million euros (9.6 million dollars). Additional pledges came from France, Romania, Britain, Denmark and others. Fule said the Warsaw forum was a chance to send a strong signal of support in difficult times and to prevent Belarus from becoming isolated from the rest of Europe. He said most of the EU aid would go to non-governmental organizations, independent media and students. Besides offering financial assistance, Fule said, EU countries should waive or reduce the fees for visas to enable ordinary Belarusians to travel more easily around the continent. Representatives from some 40 countries - including government officials and activists - participated in the conference. -- SPA
