Opinions & Interviews

Belarus president: Reassuring information about intermediate-range, shorter-range missiles

MINSK, 17 September (BelTA) – Reassuring information has become available about intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the relevant statement as he met with United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale in Minsk on 17 September, BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “Reassuring, good information relating to intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles has become available recently. We are concerned about it because Belarus is party to the [Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces] Treaty. Today the treaty is virtually destroyed but statements have been made that neither NATO nor Russia are going to deploy these missiles in Europe.”

“In turn, I said the other day that we are never going to initiate efforts to dismantle this treaty. Moreover, we are never going to deploy such missiles in Belarus in order to make the situation more complicated (if it does not threaten our security). But these two statements – from the West and the East – make me believe that Belarus will not have to resort to these last-ditch measures. We have neither willingness nor spare money for it,” the Belarusian leader stated.

Aleksandr Lukashenko went on saying that the last war cost Belarus one third of the population. The country fought against the aggressor together with the USA. “We don’t want things to go up in flames in Belarus once again,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

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