BRUSSELS, November 8 - The foreign ministers of the European Union`s 25 member states expressed concern over ongoing human rights abuses in Belarus as they met in Brussels Monday.

In a joint statement, the EU ministers called on the Belarusian government to stop the oppression of opposition parties, non-governmental organizations and independent mass media and to ensure that the presidential election scheduled for next year is free, fair and in line with the standards set by the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, especially in terms of giving all candidates equal access to the state-run news media.

The ministers said that if Belarus` government does not improve its human rights record, the EU may impose travel restrictions on officials responsible for the protection of human rights and political freedoms in the country.
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