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| - The OSCE described the post-election violence in Belarus as "deeply alarming" and called on the ex-Soviet state to accept the international organisation's offer to support dialogue and avoid a "nightmare". Current OSCE chair, the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, said the sooner dialogue started to resolve the crisis following this month's disputed re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko "the better it is for everyone". Opening a special session of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to discuss the situation in Belarus, Rama said the government had responded to post-election protests with "disproportionate use of force". Over 100 journalists had been detained, deported or subject to violence, he said. adding: "This is deeply alarming." "Even more alarming, and saddening, has been the loss of life, serious injury and widespread reports of missing people. The picture is ugly. To say the least. It's a potential nightmare for Belarus and its people." In a letter to Belarus earlier this month, Rama offered the OSCE's help to mediate in the crisis. The Vienna-based organisation has 57 members, including Belarus. OSCE observers were not present on the day of the presidential election in Belarus, a first since 2001, saying they were not invited in time. bg-jza/txw
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