Opinions & Interviews

NATO build-up seen as threat to Belarus’ national security

MINSK, 18 February (BelTA) – The growing NATO military presence has created a threat to the national security of Belarus, Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei said at a meeting of the collegium of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus on 18 February, BelTA has learned.

"A serious threat to the national security of Belarus comes from the NATO build-up near our western border under the pretext of dealing with the ‘escalating’ migrant crisis and growing tensions around Ukraine which they are persistently trying to paint as a target of an aggression which allegedly may also come from our country,” the head of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Taking into account the new realities, the head of state set a task to determine the country’s current and long-term foreign policy priorities at the 6th Belarusian People's Congress. A number of specific tasks in foreign policy were announced at a meeting of the president with the heads of the country’s diplomatic missions in July last year.

Vladimir Makei stressed that in 2021 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs adjusted the main guidelines of the Belarusian diplomacy, reorganized the system of diplomatic service bodies taking into account the dynamics of political, trade and economic cooperation, and concentrated all efforts to implement the tasks set by the president and the government.

According to the minister, bilateral relations between Belarus and Russia have advanced significantly. "We have opened a new chapter in the development of the Union State. The 28 Union State programs approved by the presidents of Belarus and Russia in November 2021 have created the basis for furthering the economic integration of our countries," he said. “In the context of emerging economic realities, the Eurasian Economic Union remains one of the most important integration formats for us. At the initiative of Belarus, in October 2021 the heads of the EAEU member states adopted, for the first time, a set of measures to respond to economic pressure of third countries and jointly protect economic interests.

Last year, under the auspices of Belarus' chairmanship the CIS made a number of comprehensive decisions on the development of the CIS for the period up to 2030, including those regarding the alignment of the multi-tier integration processes, including the harmonization of regulatory and legal documents of the CIS and the EAEU. The Belarusian side sought to use the accumulated political and economic ties with the CIS countries and Georgia to diversify and increase Belarusian exports in the face of sanctions.

"Unfortunately, the Ukrainian leadership continues to take destructive steps, which negatively affects the entire range of relations between our countries," Vladimir Makei stated. “As for cooperation with distant countries, the Belarusian president signed Directive No. 9 in December 2021 to advance Belarusian-Chinese cooperation and bring it to a qualitatively new level. Development of a comprehensive strategy to promote cooperation with distant countries aims to expand sales markets for Belarusian products in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.

The decisions taken to open the Embassy of Belarus in Zimbabwe, consulates general in Mumbai (India), Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Hong Kong (China) are aimed at deepening cooperation with the countries of Africa and Asia, the minister said.

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