29 March 2024, Friday, 10:50
Support
the website
Sim Sim,
Charter 97!
Categories

United States Urge Belarusian Authorities to Fix the Situation With Democracy

United States Urge Belarusian Authorities to Fix the Situation With Democracy

The United States of America again urge Belarusian authorities to take steps towards easing of the situation with democracy and human rights.

Bridget Brink, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, stated that at the meeting with journalists in the end of the visit to Belarus on May 18, BelaPAN reports.

It should be reminded that Bridget Brink and her colleague Rob Berschinski, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor arrived to Minsk on May 17.

According to Brink, the main purpose of their visit was the third round of Belarus-America dialogue on human rights. First two dialogues were held in last May and December in Washington DC, she added.

Brink noted that in the course of the current visit they met with government's representatives, including Foreign Minister of Belarus Uladzimir Makei and the Head of the Central Election Commission Lidziya Yarmoshyna, as well as representatives of the opposition, civil society and civil rights activists. "At all meetings we emphasized the US spoke in support of independent Belarus and its way to greater prosperity" the Deputy Assistant Secretary said.

She reminded that the USA had suspended sanctions on nine Belarusian enterprises last August in reaction to the release of political prisoners, in April 2016 the decision had been extended for six months. "The measure is limited and depends on further events," Brink stressed.

BelaPAN wonders whether sanctions are totally lifted if the ODIHR/OSCE recognizes parliamentary elections scheduled on September 11 in Belarus. The answer of the representative of the Department of State is as follows: "We will follow and give assessments to conclusions made by the ODIHR. Of course, it will be a positive shift, if the ODIHR gives a good assessment of the election."

Brink reminded the ODIHR had given many recommendations on improvement of electoral proceedings in Belarus. In particular, she noted those recommendations related to issue of transparent vote counting and formation of electoral commissions with wide representative basis.

In Brink's words, the election's issue was the key one in the course of meetings with Belarus' officials."We talked on ways how to improve the election process," she said. According to the representative of the Department of State, Belarusian officials "are open for a dialogue."

Bridget Brink also positively assessed yesterday's statement of Lidziya Yarmoshyna about the fact that some ODIHR's recommendations would be taken into consideration. "We consider it a positive shift. We will see how much recommendations have been implemented before and after the election. But we welcome the careful approach to recommendations given here,"— she said.

The Deputy Assistant Secretary does not know whether representatives of the Belarusian opposition take part in the election, however, she stressed that opposition presence was, in fact, essential for democracy.

"There is a need to create atmosphere which provide for free and fair elections. the process, not the result is above all. It is not about particular candidates, but the election process," Brink summed up.

Write your comment

Follow Charter97.org social media accounts