Belarus: U.S. says wants to work for better ties

Reuters
August 14, 2009

Ex-Soviet Belarus moved a small step closer to the West on Friday with a visit by the most senior U.S. official since Minsk ordered Washington's envoy out over a year ago. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Phillip Gordon held talks with presidential officials -- though not veteran President Alexander Lukashenko, whom the West had accused for years of crushing human rights.