Belarus urges not to escalate tension around Allied Resolve 2022
Belarus confirmed its principled position on the unjustifiability of using the mechanism for consultation and co-operation in relation to the country as regards unusual military activities under Article 16 of Chapter III of Vienna Document 2011 – as stated by Belarus’ delegation in Vienna at the OSCE Permanent Council meeting On Allied Resolve 2022 Joint Belarusian-Russian Exercises, the Embassy of Belarus in Austria reports
"During the consultations, the US delegation raised a number of questions about the exercises. We are certainly flattered by the interest of the American side, but its demands go far beyond transparency under Vienna Document 2011. Since Allied Resolve 2022 exercises do not reach the threshold for prior notifications under Vienna Document 2011, Belarus is not obliged to provide information about them. Nevertheless, we have taken a number of concrete measures to increase transparency regarding these exercises. We discussed them in detail at the forum meetings and consultations. The exercises are not aimed against anyone: they pose no threat to the neighbouring countries or regional security in general," the Belarusian delegation stressed.
As noted, Belarus has traditionally taken unprecedented measures to reduce tensions in the region. These include briefings on the eve and during the exercises, invitation of foreign observers based on the principle of parity, and also military attaches accredited in the Republic of Belarus.
As part of these measures, observers from the neighbouring countries, including Poland and Ukraine, were regularly invited to military exercises – but no commensurate reciprocal steps from these states followed. Accordingly, the Belarusian side is forced to state that not all neighbouring states take such transparent and open measures which the Republic of Belarus has been carrying out over the past five years when conducting exercises below the threshold levels under Vienna Document 2011.
"Despite this, the Republic of Belarus continues the practice of openness and transparency regarding its military activities. For example, representatives of Lithuania and Latvia, as well as military attaches accredited to Belarus’ Defence Ministry, were invited to observe the Allied Resolve 2022 exercises. The military attaches were given an opportunity to observe the activities at various sites. Observers from Lithuania and Latvia were invited as part of bilateral agreements with these countries on additional confidence and security measures. After a conversation of the defence ministers of Belarus and Ukraine on February 14th, Ukraine’s military attaché was invited to observe the forces’ final activities at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground. That was done on a parity basis, after Belarus military attaché was invited to observe the Blizzard exercises,” the Belarusian delegation explained.
In addition, upon a personal invitation of Belarus’ Defence Minister, the defence attaché of the Embassy of Ukraine in Belarus participated in observation of combat missile launches by Tochka-U tactical missile complexes at the Polessky training ground. The Ukrainian side emphasised then that missiles had been launched along a parallel track to the state border – rather than in the direction of Ukraine.
"In this regard, we would like to emphasise the importance of direct military contacts, including at a high level, to eliminate misunderstandings and remove concerns in the military sphere. In conclusion, we once again urge our esteemed partners to stop escalating artificial tensions around the Allied Resolve 2022 exercises," the Belarusian delegation stated.
