MINSK, 16 November (BelTA) – There is no logical explanation for the actions of the Polish military at the border. Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin made the statement after a government conference hosted by the head of state on 16 November to discuss the situation at the state border, BelTA has learned.
Poland has deployed 23,000 military personnel at the border. As many as 13 camps have been set up for them. Poland previously stated that the military personnel will be tasked with fighting illegal migration. However, it is still unclear why such a large number of military personnel and armored vehicles have been used for this purpose.
Viktor Khrenin said: “Unfortunately, we don't see the logic. In response to their inadequate actions we make plans for our own adequate actions in order not to create tensions in the region and a conflict situation. It is difficult to calculate what decisions they are making. Although we assume that our neighbors are trying to get political and economic bonuses and possibly get the entire European Union involved in the problem at our state border.”
According to the 2011 Vienna Document on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures, if a country deploys over 6,000 military personnel at the border, it has to start sharing data and arranging consultations with the neighboring country. However, the Polish Defense Ministry does not respond to Belarusian queries.
Viktor Khrenin went on saying: “They avoid contacts with us. We've sent a request for arranging consultations. No response so far. Our attache was summoned to the Polish Defense Ministry last week. Unwarranted accusations directed at us were presented. It was said that our military personnel had violated their state border and had gone deep into Poland. We asked for facts and have yet to receive any. In turn, we've invited their military attache, explained our position, asked to present condemnatory facts, and finally start consultations and a dialogue. There is no dialogue. As a result, their military attache simply went away. On a vacation or something else, I don't know.”
