The US Mission to the OSCE once again called on the government of Belarus to engage in dialogue with democratic forces:
– We will continue to urge the Belarusian authorities to accept the proposals of the OSCE Chairpersons-in-Office to facilitate national dialogue with the participation of democratic forces, namely the Coordination Council and civil society. This dialogue will lead to free and fair elections in accordance with OSCE standards, monitored by the OSCE and monitored by independent domestic observers, said US Charge d’Affaires to the OSCE, James Donegan.
The statement also says that the United States intends to continue to put pressure on the current government in Belarus to release all political prisoners.
Back in the fall, the Coordinating Council, as a representative of the civil society of Belarus, was recognized by both the European Union and the United States.
On December 21, the US Senate adopted the “Act on Democracy, Human Rights and Sovereignty in Belarus”, in which the Coordination Council was recognized as the legitimate representative of the Belarusian people.
In February, the Foreign Relations Committee of the US House of Representatives recognized the Coordinating Council as a legitimate institution in negotiations on a way out of the political crisis.
In March, the US Mission to the OSCE supported Tikhanovskaya’s statement on voting for a peaceful solution to the crisis through dialogue between the authorities, the Coordination Council, and representatives of civil society.
Now Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is on a visit to the United States, where she will meet with the US Secretary of State, discuss assistance to the Belarusians, and the resolution of the political crisis.
