New US charge d'affaires arrives in Minsk

Newly appointed US Charge d'Affaires to Belarus Robert Rily arrived in Minsk on August 22. The BelaPAN news agency reports he served as the political officer and acting Deputy Head of the United States Mission to Hungary.

The former US envoy Scott Rauland finished his term and left Belarus on July 8. On the eve of his departure, he noted a significant improvement of Belarus-US relations over the past two years

In 2008, the Belarusian authorities asked the United States to downsize its diplomatic staff in Minsk, prompting Washington to reduce the number of employees serving at the U.S. Embassy in Belarus from 35 to five. The U.S. diplomatic mission in Minsk is headed by the charge d'affaires. U.S. Ambassador Karen Stuart left Minsk at the Belarusian authorities' request in March 2008 after the U.S. imposed sanctions on Belarus's state-run energy giant Belneftekhim over Belarus' poor human rights record..


The return of US Ambassador to Belarus will be again discussed after the presidential election in the United States.