MOSCOW, 23 June (BelTA) – Belarus will reinforce the regional military force with Russia and will advance integration within the framework of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, and the Eurasian Economic Union. Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin made the statement during the plenary session of the 9th Moscow Conference on International Security on 23 June, BelTA has learned.
The official said: “In a bid to ensure regional security we will continue developing the modern Belarusian-Russian regional military force. Together with our Russian colleagues we intend to soon finish setting up joint centers for training the troops both in Belarus and in Russia – in Kaliningrad Oblast and Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. We intend to once again demonstrate a high level of interoperability, cohesion, and field training of the troops during the forthcoming Belarusian-Russian strategic army exercise Zapad 2021. It is no saber rattling. It is a normal response to the unprecedented increase in training exercises of NATO member states near our borders.”
According to Viktor Khrenin, the level of confrontation in the modern world is unprecedented. “Fighting for shaping the future world order is in full swing,” he stated. “We see how an attempt to globalize the planet causes a response from countries and the eagerness to preserve their own ways of life and sovereignty. This is why rather objectively independent countries continue merging into clusters and blocs depending on their common civilizational interests. Belarus is in the center of the European continent. It is virtually at the line where geopolitical interests of the East and the West, the North and the South clash. This is why we cannot distance ourselves from the processes going on in the world. The Belarusian people made its choice at a referendum back in 1995. As we fulfill the will of the people, we will continue and accelerate integration with our allies within the framework of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, and the Eurasian Economic Union. Surrendering the sovereignty is out of the question. We will only defend our common interests together.”
“As for purely military aspects of integration, we will continue shaping and pursuing a joint military policy. Within the framework of the policy we would like to revise the terms ‘adversary' and ‘source of threat' in joint military doctrinal documents. In conditions of the ongoing war by proxy it is extremely important to counteract not only the puppets but the puppet masters, too. Belarus will continue actively assisting with the reinforcement of the Collective Security Treaty Organization's positions in the international arena,” the Belarusian defense minister said.
The official is convinced that in the nascent multipolar world it is necessary to work out rules of coexistence anew. “It is time to recognize the disastrous consequences that rising tensions can bring about. In the last 12 months we demonstrated to the entire world that Belarus will not yield. This is why it is time to stop and start negotiations. Our stance remains unchanged: we are ready to contribute to the prevention and resolution of any conflicts. The Minsk platform is open to this kind of interaction,” Viktor Khrenin concluded.
Taking part in the 9th Moscow Conference on International Security (MCIS 2021) are defense ministers, chiefs of general staffs, delegations of defense ministries from 109 countries as well as representatives of international organizations – the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the United Nations Organization (UN), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the League of Arab States. Participants of the conference are expected to discuss problems of global and regional stability, various aspects of security in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.
