MINSK, 8 December (BelTA) – NATO welcomes Belarus' efforts and the role it plays in strengthening regional security, representative of the Security Policy Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia Ivars Lasis said during the international seminar held in Minsk on 8 December to discuss international security and NATO in the year 2015, BelTA has learned.
At present the Latvian embassy is the contact embassy of NATO in Belarus. “Latvia is deeply interested in the development of Belarus-NATO relations,” said Ivars Lasis. In his words, it is essential for these relations based on mutual trust to continue. The representative of the Latvian Foreign Ministry thanked the Foreign Policy and Security Studies Center, and also the International Relations Department of the Belarusian State University, for the organization of the seminar which was organized in cooperation with the NATO Public Diplomacy Division. He is confident that the discussions “will promote further cooperation between NATO and Belarus.”
According to Ivars Lasis, the relations between NATO and Belarus are based on the main principles of international relations: each country should base its relations with others on mutual respect and mutual benefit.
The representative of the Latvian Foreign Ministry emphasized the importance of the Minsk agreements on strengthening security and Belarus' role in peaceful processes. “Belarus aims to protect its security and independence. We welcome Belarus' role in strengthening security in the region,” he noted.
Ivars Lasis expressed the opinion of the need to intensify joint international efforts in security issues. It is impossible to ensure security on one continent alone since threats, for instance in Europe, come from outside Europe. Ivars Lasis touched upon the fight against international terrorism.
The international seminar has been organized by the Foreign Policy and Security Studies Center in association with the International Relations Department of the Belarusian State University with assistance of the NATO Public Diplomacy Division.
