MINSK, Oct 31 (NNN-BelTA) — Belarus will continue to pursue a consistent foreign policy towards reducing military and political tensions in Europe and maintaining a mutually respectful dialogue between partner countries in the name of peace and security, said the State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus, Stanislav Zas.
He said this to BelTA when commenting on his recent meeting with the US Charge d affaires to Belarus Jenifer Moore here on Tuesday.
“The Belarusian side expressed its concerns over the deployment of U.S. military personnel and hardware in Lithuania. That was the main item on the agenda of the meeting with the high-ranking U.S. diplomat,” Stanislav Zas said.
The initiative of the meeting came from the American side, he added.
“We appreciate the explanations regarding the purpose of the deployment of U.S. military personnel and hardware at the Pabrade training area, their travel plans, and the specific dates of their return to the places of permanent deployment. Additional information was provided about the Defender 2020 exercise,” the state secretary of the Security Council said.
“In general, the prompt response of both the NATO leadership and NATO leading country to our questions shows that the voice of Belarus has been heard and that our position has been taken into account. It is important to us. The general willingness to quell fears about this issue and to ensure transparency in decision-making in the future was reaffirmed during the meeting, which is also important.
“It should be noted that the lack of trust and awareness was the reason why this situation happened. It is very important that the American partners have shown a desire for an open and constructive dialogue in the spirit of the Vienna document on confidence-building and security measures,” Stanislav Zas said.
“Belarus, for its part, is also ready to make appropriate adjustments to the plans to respond to the deployment of foreign troops near its borders.
“This proposal has already been endorsed by the Belarusians president,” Stanislav Zas noted.
“At the same time, our country’s position on the inadmissibility of militarization of the region remains unchanged,” the state secretary of the Security Council noted.
Belarus on Monday was reported by the state-owned news agency as saying that it will beef up its military presence on the border with Lithuania in response to US stationing 30 tanks as part of its Operation Atlantic Resolve aimed at deterring Russia.
“Individual tactical actions will be taken […] by missile and artillery units, air force, motorised infantry, paratroopers,” Belarusian Defence Minister Andrei Ravkov told reporters on Monday.
American armour arrived in Lithuania on October 21 for a rotational deployment as part of US Army Europe Operation Atlantic Resolve, aimed at deterring Russia. The battalion-sized force is bringing 30 Abrams tanks, 25 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) and 70 wheeled vehicles, and will stay in Lithuania until spring 2020.
–NNN-BelTA
