US condemns handling of Belarus elections

The United States has dismissed the outcome of elections in Belarus and says it will continue to recognise the parliament that President Lukashenko dissolved four years ago.

The State Department in Washington said the elections had not been free or fair.

It said it refused to accept the results, because reports of extensive irregularities on polling day indicated fraud by the Belarus government. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the OSCE, has also criticised the way in which the elections were conducted.

The foreign ministry in Belarus said the OSCE's conclusions were partial and prejudiced.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service