Senior U.S. Diplomat Criticizes The Lack Of OSCE Observers For Belarusian Election

George Kent, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, said that the United States deeply regrets that monitors from the Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will not be allowed to observe the presidential election scheduled for August 9 in Belarus. Speaking in an interview with RFE/RL on July 30, Kent said U.S. diplomats have expressed a "desire to see the elections conducted freely and fairly." The authoritarian president of Belarus, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, is seeking a sixth term in office. He has faced mounting public opposition in recent months after 26 years in power.