MINSK, 9 November (BelTA) – The Belarusian Defense Ministry has dismissed Poland's accusations of border violations by Belarusian military as unfounded and unsubstantiated, the press service of the Defense Ministry said, BelTA informs.
It was noted that Defense Attaché at the Embassy of Belarus in Poland Colonel Aleksei Bortnik met with representatives of the Ministry of National Defense of Poland in Warsaw on 8 November 2021 at 17.00 Minsk time. Poland initiated this meeting to discuss the alleged “violations of the Polish border by Belarusian military personnel and their involvement in the migration crisis”. “At the same time, no evidence recorded by means of objective control was presented to support these claims,” the Defense Ministry noted.
In this context, the Belarusian military representative reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the Belarusian Defense Ministry to the principles of good-neighborliness and a bilateral dialogue to resolve any conflict and dispute.
According to the Defense Ministry, the deployment of 10,000 Polish troops near the Polish-Belarusian border (as announced by the minister of national defense of Poland on 25 October 2021) is a significant military activity.
“Carrying out such activity without notifying Belarus violates the bilateral additional agreements on regional confidence- and security- building measures. These agreements provide for notifying and inviting observers to monitor the military activities involving 6,000 or more troops," the ministry noted.
“Minsk has so far received neither notification from the Polish side nor an invitation for observers,” the ministry stressed.
In confirmation of its good intentions, the Belarusian side invited Poland to hold a bilateral meeting to discuss the concerns of both sides. However, no response has been received so far.
“In view of the above-mentioned, the Belarusian Defense Ministry considers the accusations of the Polish side as unfounded and unsubstantiated, and also thinks that the Polish Ministry of National Defense is not aimed at constructive resolution of the issue and intentionally brings the current conflict to the political level,” the ministry added.
