MOSCOW, 16 February (BelTA) – Russia intends to continue using two Russian military installations in Belarus. They are located in Vileika and Baranovichi. The relevant draft Belarusian-Russian intergovernmental protocols, which had been approved by the Russian government, were published on the dedicated Russian legal information website on 16 February, BelTA has learned.
One of the draft protocols had been presented by the Russian Defense Ministry and agreed by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other interested federal government agencies. The document had been preapproved by the Belarusian side. The draft protocol provides for extending the duration of the Belarusian-Russian intergovernmental agreement on the usage and maintenance of the Vileika radio station in Belarus. The agreement was signed on 6 January 1995.
Another draft protocol had also been presented by the Russian Defense Ministry, agreed by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other interested federal government agencies, and preapproved by the Belarusian side. The document provides for extending the duration of the Belarusian-Russian intergovernmental agreement of 6 January 1995 on completing the construction, on usage and maintenance of the Baranovichi-based missile launch detection system node.
In accordance with the draft protocols the duration of these intergovernmental agreements on the usage and maintenance of these Russian military installations in Belarus will be extended by 25 years. The duration may be consequently extended automatically in five-year increments, provided none of the countries notifies the other one it intends to terminate the agreements.
