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The Lithuanian Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is taking diplomatic measures to have Belarus reconsider its decision to terminate operations of the OSCE bureau in Minsk, Lithuania's Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis said on Monday.

"We are taking certain diplomatic steps and instruments to achieve revision of the decision in Minsk," the diplomacy chief told journalists after the meeting with President Dalia Grybauskaite.

The minister added he had also urged Belorussian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Martynov to take actions.

Belarus closed the OSCE mission in Minsk on the New Year's Eve. Political scientists believe the decision was related to the organization's criticism about the presidential election following the re-election of Alexander Lukashenko who has been leading the country since 1994.

Lithuanian President Grybauskaite has also expressed regret over Minsk's decision to close the OSCE mission.

"The president is of an opinion that the OSCE mission, the OSCE office is one of the measures that can foster cooperation and communication with the Belarus leadership, and expresses regret over the non-extension of the OSCE mission," the president spokesman Linas Balsys told journalists.

"The president believes such an action will not promote communication and cooperation between Belarus and Lithuania and will not contribute to the development of democracy in Belarus," Balsys added.

Lithuania took over the OSCE chairmanship from Kazakhstan on January 1.