Hluboka Castle, Czech Republic  - The Netherlands opposes European Union plans to invite Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko to a May 7 summit in Prague, Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said Friday.

"According to our view, President Lukaschenko should not be given a political platform on May 7th," Verhagen said on the sidelines of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in the Czech Republic.

Minsk/Moscow - The leadership of Belarus lifted a ban on two regime-critical newspapers after almost three years, the advisor to authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Monday in Minsk.

The decision was taken out of domestic interests, but the country hopes for better relations with the West after the step, a source said.

The two papers affected - the Nasha Niva and the Narodnaya Volya - were banned in early 2006 due to "serious breaches." However, those wanting to purchase the papers will have to register by name and have the papers delivered.

Moscow/Minsk - Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko threatened Saturday to place relations with the West on ice if it declares next week's parliamentary elections undemocratic.

If there is no recognition of the elections "we will stop talking to them," the president told the news agency Interfax.

Lukashenko, criticized by human rights groups in his homeland as "Europe's last dictator," said Belarus had strictly adhered to the guidelines laid down by the West in preparing the elections.