Chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis reported on January 3 that the leadership of the OSCE had initiated consultations with the Belarusian authorities to find a possible solution that would enable the OSCE to continue its work in Belarus. "We've started informal consultations to find an solution agreement to all," the head of the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said.
«I deeply regret that the Belarusian authorities have not extended the mandate of the OSCE Office in Minsk. The OSCE Chairmanship will work together with Belarus and the other OSCE participating States to continue the Organization’s important work in the country,» the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry quoted the words of Audronius Azubalis.
According to Telegraf, Belarusian authorities have not extended the mandate of the OSCE Office in Minsk. The member of the OSCE Permanent Council was informed about this by Alexander Sychev, permanent representative of Belarus at international organizations in Vienna, on December 31. As stated by the Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Savinykh, «it should be noted that this is a conscious decision.»
