Opinions & Interviews

Belarus’ diplomat: Wars can be stopped only at negotiating table

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MINSK, 2 March (BelTA) – Any war can be stopped only at the negotiating table, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Belarus to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva Yuri Ambrazevich said at a high-level segment of the Disarmament Conference, BelTA has learned.

“The only way to stop any war is to sit down at the negotiating table and to take on board the interests of all the parties involved. Belarus does not need a war! Since 2014, Belarus has repeatedly proved this in practice and has contributed to bringing sustainable and lasting peace to Ukraine, including through the Minsk agreements,” the Belarusian diplomat said in his statement.

Yuri Ambrazevich recalled that the president of Belarus had recently made every effort to convince the Ukrainian delegation to participate in the negotiations with Russia. “We have provided a platform for negotiations. Belarus will continue to do everything in its power to resolve the crisis around and in Ukraine and it rejects all accusations of contributing to the conflict. As the president of Belarus has repeatedly said, Belarusian troops are not taking part in the Russian operation in Donbass,” Yuri Ambrazevich said. 

Belarus calls on all those who have adopted a wait-and-see approach to do everything possible to prevent an even greater bloodshed and to stop hostilities. “Everyone should admit that neither economic sanctions, nor even the supply of lethal weapons to Ukraine will help achieve this goal. On the contrary, all this will be a direct contribution to the continuation and escalation of the armed conflict. This is definitely not the road to peace. The only effective way to achieve peace now and as always is the recognition of the legitimate and justified concerns of all interested parties without exception and the materialization of this recognition through negotiations and dialogue based on a true commitment to the principle of indivisible security,” the diplomat said.

According to him, in recent years Belarus has repeatedly urged to launch a global negotiation process to determine the political and legal foundations of international security. “This call sounds more relevant than ever before at the Conference on Disarmament. After all, the agenda of the conference will directly depend on progress in this area,” Yuri Ambrazevich added.

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