UPDATE - Blinken Says Met With Tikhanovskaya At State Department Discussing 'Political Crisis'

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th July, 2021) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he has discussed the political situation in Belarus with former Belarusian opposition presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who is currently on a visit to the US.

"@UnderSecStateP [Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland] and I welcomed Belarusian leader of the democratic opposition @Tsihanouskaya to the @StateDept today. We discussed the way out of the political crisis: release of all political prisoners, inclusive dialogue, and new elections. Zhvvye Belarus!" Blinken said on Twitter on Monday.

US State Department Spokesperson Ned price said in a Monday statement that Blinken was present for only part of the meeting with Tikhanovskaya.

"Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland and Counselor of the Department Derek Chollet met with Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the democratic opposition of Belarus in Washington, D.C. Secretary of State Antony Blinken joined the group for part of the meeting," Price said.

According to the State Department, the meeting focused on the political situation in Belarus, with the participants discussing the need for "the unconditional release of all political prisoners in Belarus, and an inclusive political dialogue and new presidential elections under international observation."

Earlier on Monday, Tikhanovskaya said on Twitter that she had asked Blinken to appeal to Russia to play a constructive role in her country.

Tilkhanovskaya also said after the Monday meeting that she thanked Blinken for supporting the Belarusian democratic aspirations.

The Belarusian opposition leader will stay in Washington until July 23. Then, she will have meetings in New York from July 24-27, in San Francisco from July 28-29, and in Los Angeles from July 30-31.

During a meeting with the Belarusian diaspora in Washington DC on Sunday, Tikhanovskaya said that she was going to ask for action, particularly sanctions, and not just words of support from the US.

Tikhanovskaya told The National Interest magazine on Sunday that Belarus needs "a good manager" who can rebuild the country, but she herself is "not ready to participate in new elections," although she could serve instead as "a moral authority." The opposition leader said she was not looking for enemies and that she wanted "dialogue" with Russia.

Belarus has been in a prolonged political crisis since incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko secured his sixth term in office in the August 2020 election. The opposition has not recognized the results, claiming that Svetlana Tikhanovskaya was the real winner. The dispute resulted in mass protests across the country, which generally declined by February.

Minsk has opened criminal cases against several opposition leaders and other persons on charges linked to anti-government rallies.