Lyabedzka appeals to restore OSCE mission in Belarus

Belarusian opposition leaders met a Bundestag delegation in Minsk on May 4. Anatol Lyabedzka, United Civil Party leader, suggested restoring the OSCE mission in Belarus. He also believes that it is necessary to resume the negotiations between the government and the opposition through the mediation of the OSCE that were suspended in 1999.

"It would be a very good step because we will keep wandering around until the problem of fair elections is solved,” the UCP website quotes Lyabedzka.

The politician suggested his idea because Germany will be presiding in the OSCE in 2016.

However, Germany will not perform any steps aimed at large-scale cooperation with Belarus until all political prisoners are released, German MP Gernot Erler said. This is the official position of Germany’s federal government, he noted.

The OSCE mission was opened in Belarus in 1998. The Belarusian authorities decided to close the office in 2010.