Washington, Muharram 29, 1432, Jan 04, 2011, SPA -- The United States on Monday sharply criticized Belarus for closing the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE) office in Minsk. "The United States deeply regrets the government of Belarus's decision to terminate the mission of the OSCE office in Minsk," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters. "Unfortunately, this is a step backwards in the development of democratic government and the respect for human rights in Belarus," he added. --SPA 11:44 LOCAL TIME 08:44 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/852304