Thank you, Madame Chairperson. We listened with great interest to Ambassador Stoudmann s statement, and salute him for its clarity, specificity, and comprehensiveness. The United States supports the position just expressed by the European Union, and strongly believes that the elections held in Belarus on October 15 were not free, fair, or transparent. For these reasons, we strongly believe these elections are not worthy of the name.
True elections require more than people casting ballots on election day.
They require unfettered campaigns with a free exchange of political views. They require transparent and credible tabulations of results. And they require an atmosphere of confidence and trust where candidates can express themselves openly as opposed to the existing climate of pervasive fear, where political opponents disappear at night never to be seen again. Confronted with facts like these, I leave it to each of us to judge where the lack of objectivity and prejudged character really lie.