MINSK, 4 September (BelTA) – Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko met with State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Stanislav Zas on 4 September to discuss security issues and the outcome of the recent international meetings, BelTA has learned.
“Security issues are currently in the spotlight. Thanks to this topic Minsk is also widely spoken about due to the conference the UN is organizing here,” the head of state said.
He added that ahead of the meeting with Stanislav Zas he had discussed the corresponding matters and Belarus' initiatives with Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Office Vladimir Voronkov. “The theme is relevant for both Belarus and Europe, in the international arena,” the Belarusian leader said.
"However, we must not forget that we live in specific security conditions. I would like you to tell me how you assess the security situation of our citizens, and also the operation of the law enforcement agencies, especially the KGB, the Defense Ministry, and the police which ensure security in the country,” the president said.
As for external threats, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that he is aware of the situation and does not see any particular threats. “If you see any, tell me about them,” the head of state added.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also asked Stanislav Zas to voice his position on the outcome of the recent international meetings, including the visit of the U.S. President's National Security Advisor John Bolton to Minsk and the talks in Warsaw.
“We have nothing to hide here, I mean in the visit of U.S. President's National Security Advisor John Bolton to Belarus and the talks that continued in Warsaw on security issues, where your colleagues were present. I asked you to reflect on all these talks and express your position on the matter. Perhaps it will become the position of our country. I need your position on what took place in Warsaw, what our neighbors (the Baltic States, Poland, and Ukraine) demand from us. Perhaps, we are doing something wrong,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
Another important topic was the joint work with Russia on security matters. “Of course, the main security issues that we address are in the Belarus-Russia union. You have recently had many contacts not only with the heads of the EAEU and the CIS relevant structures, but also with Patrushev [Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev]. I know that he is expected to visit Belarus in the near future, so we can continue this dialogue. What level is the current dialogue with Russia at?” asked the head of state.
Stanislav Zas informed the head of state that after the meeting on the quality of work of law enforcement agencies, the basic instructions and requirements, which were voiced at the meeting, were brought to the attention of the corresponding agencies in oral and written forms.
“Progress has been made in the activities of all law enforcement agencies. These are not empty words. The messages we heard at the meeting, including remarks and comments, were communicated to each ministry,” the state secretary of the Security Council said.
