Lithuanian president supports Belarus opposition plan for power transition council

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya he supports her plan to create a coordination council in Belarus, his office told Reuters. The council would ensure the transfer of power, Tsikhanouskaya's office said on Friday. During a telephone call on Friday afternoon, Tsikhanouskaya told Nauseda she was ready to help implement de-escalation plan proposed by Baltic and Polish presidents.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya he supports her plan to create a coordination council in Belarus, his office told Reuters. The council would ensure the transfer of power, Tsikhanouskaya's office said on Friday.

During a telephone call on Friday afternoon, Tsikhanouskaya told Nauseda she was ready to help implement de-escalation plan proposed by Baltic and Polish presidents. Tsikhanouskaya "confirmed she sees her mission as seeking a peaceful dialogue", Nauseda's spokesman told Reuters.

Under the plan, Belarusian authorities must stop violence against protesters, release detained demonstrators and form a national council with members of civil society that would seek to find a way out of the crisis triggered by Sunday's disputed presidential election.