The recent developments show that the Belarusian regime keeps running the line of repressions, self-isolation and further deterioration of relations with the European Union, US Representative to OSCE Ian Kelly told Belarusian journalists during a videoconference organized by the US embassy on March 2, 2012 in Vienna.
He points out that the United States regretted over the fact that the Belarusian Foreign Ministry had recommended Ambassador of Poland and the EU representative in Belarus to leave Minsk for consultations in Warsaw and Brussels. As before, the USA are deeply concerned about continuing violations of human rights in Belarus and the latest politically motivated sentences to opposition activists Siarhei Kavalenka, Pavel Vinahradau and Aliaksandr Artsybashau, Mr. Kelly says.
«We call for immediately and unconditionally releasing and fully exonerating all political prisoners in Belarus,» Mr. Kelly declares. «We also call for allowing the OSCE Office to be reopened in Minsk. This will be an important step by Belarus toward returning to the international community.»
According to Ian Kelly, the Belarusian government has not responded to calls for the reopening of the OSCE mission in Minsk. He adds that Lithuania held talks with Belarus on the subject during its OSCE chairmanship.
Belsat
