Opinions & Interviews

MOSCOW, 22 February (BelTA) – Belarus is a reliable pillar of security in the region, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Russia Igor Petrishenko said at a reception on the occasion of the Day of Fatherland Defenders and the Armed Forces of Belarus held in the diplomatic mission on 22 February, BelTA learned from the press service of the embassy.

Igor Petrishenko stressed that over the years this day, as a symbol of patriotism, has been uniting citizens by the noble idea of protecting the homeland. “Citizens’ security, stability in the society and independence represent the supreme values for the young sovereign state, and it is our primary duty to ensure them,” he said.

The Ambassador stressed that the Armed Forces of Belarus reliably protect the territorial integrity and inviolability of the borders of the state. “Modern Belarus is ready to withstand any aggression, combat international terrorism, decisively suppress any of its manifestations. Our military doctrine has a purely defensive nature. We cooperate closely with our allies, first of all, with Russia. In order to ensure peace and stability in the region, we also develop dialogue with neighbors and partners in Europe, maintain a constructive position in the OSCE. During the years of independence, we have given no reason to accuse Belarus of being aggressive, creating problems for their neighbors, or being combative and reckless. We have been consistently developing military cooperation with our allies in the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Commonwealth of Independent States. We also believe that it is crucial to maintain a constructive dialogue with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on an equal and mutually respectful basis,” the Belarusian Ambassador said.

The reception was attended by the veterans of the Great Patriotic war, the head of the CSTO Joint Staff General Colonel Anatoly Sidorov, CSTO Acting Secretary General Valery Semerikov, CSTO Secretariat officials, Secretary of the CIS Defense Ministers Council Major General Yuri Dashkin, Assistant to the Chairman of the Defense Committee of Russia’s State Duma Igor Novoselov, Deputy Head of the CIS Anti-Terror Center Major General Oleg Zemskov, representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry, OAO Rosoboronexport, the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, and also the military attaches of the diplomatic missions of Armenia, Bulgaria, the UK, Denmark, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, China, South Korea, North Korea, Myanmar, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Rwanda, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, the United States, Turkmenistan, Finland and Croatia accredited in the Russian capital.

The reception featured live music by the Orchestra of the Armed Forces of Belarus that performed famous pieces by Belarusian and Russian composers.