Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 12 January (BelTA) - Belarus’ initiative on launching the negotiation process similar to Helsinki is aimed at eliminating the confrontation in the region, Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency, BelTA informs.

“When the president said that we need to think about starting or perhaps reviving the negotiations within the framework of the Helsinki accords, starting the process that could be conventionally called Helsinki 2, he meant that we need to move away from that confrontation, from the confrontational dividing rhetoric in our region,” Vladimir Makei said.

The minister stressed that the states need to think over the principles and objectives of cooperation, primarily in the political and military fields which would lead to greater trust. “There is no trust today. Today we just blame each other and condemn each other. We need to move away from this. I think that such understanding dovetails with the traditional principles of the Chinese foreign policy. Not to create confrontation but move away from confrontation, seek common ground, consent,” the Belarusian diplomat said.

Vladimir Makei noted that it will not be easy to implement such an initiative. Many understand it differently. “But I want to stress that this does not mean that we should depart from the principles enshrined in Helsinki 1. On the contrary, we want to keep these principles but start a discussion on further peaceful coexistence of the states in our region, based on the fact that today we must respond to many new challenges and threats. This is the logic of the initiative put forward by the Belarusian head of state. We hope that this initiative will be supported by other countries. We are now engaged in relevant work on the implementation of this concept,” he informed.

Vladimir Makei noted that today there are a number of problems in the relations between Russia and the European Union, sanctions and counter-sanctions. Being located between them, Belarus feels the negative consequences of this confrontation. “Therefore, the logic of our actions is simple and straightforward. It derives from the basic principle of our foreign policy. This principle is a multi-pronged approach and non-confrontation. We want to be friends with everyone. We want to have normal relations with all. We do not want, as some interpret, to move away from Russia and towards the European Union or vice versa. We want equally close rather than equally distant relations with all parts of the world, with all camps. Russia and the European Union are very important partners and important geopolitical players,” Vladimir Makei stated.