Dialogue between East and West

A high-level international conference called Eurasian Security: Reality and Prospects in a Transforming World took place in Minsk

About 300 people from almost 30 countries of the world took part in the conference. The geography of the participants extended from the United States of America to the People’s Republic of China. A frank and inclusive discussion about the prospects for Eurasian security in the context of the crisis of the existing world order, chronic military-political contradictions between key players and the almost complete lack of communications between them included a discussion of several specific topics, including global and regional geopolitical prerequisites for Eurasian security, economic integration and conjugation in favour of its unified architecture, interaction of international and regional organisations in the Eurasian space, strategic stability and nuclear weapons, threats and opportunities for Eurasia in new conditions. As a result, the conference made it possible to outline the promising contours of Eurasian security. 

The President of Belarus sent a greeting to the participants and guests of a high-level international conference Eurasian Security: Reality and Prospects in a Transforming World in which he expressed his conviction that impartial assessments of the current events will be given at the expert platform in Minsk and, most importantly, the political leadership of the Eurasian countries will be offered effective measures to counter modern challenges and threats.

What is the root of the problem

Once upon a time in Minsk they tried to find a formula for safety for everyone. Then they discussed how to move away from the edge of the abyss. Alas, on the European continent, which has survived two world wars, we are again faced with a bloody conflict.
“The prospects for other outbreaks to flare up in various regions of the world are growing. And this, no matter how cynical it sounds, becomes commonplace. Now, in fact, the whole world is faced with the task of holding on and not stepping into the abyss of mutually assured destruction. In the meantime, we are confidently moving in this direction, along the so-called ‘escalation ladder’,” Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Aleinik noted during his speech.
“In our opinion, the reason for the current situation is the NATO-centric model of security for the elite, which the West has promoted and continues to promote... 
The West never allowed NATO to become a full-fledged international organisation. And now, instead of a platform for serious discussion of issues of war and peace, it is simply being turned into a model of a ‘rules-based order’,” Sergei Aleinik went on saying.

Polycentricity is trending

Western-centricity is becoming a thing of the past. It is being replaced by multipolarity and polycentricity. Most countries support a variety of development paths and want their choices to be respected and not imposed by alien principles. And Eurasia occupies a key place in this process, Sergei Aleinik is sure, “What should the rest of the European countries and, in general, the countries of Greater Eurasia, which have serious and justified fears for their security, do? Probably, to strengthen existing and form new international organisations. Such as the EAEU, SCO, BRICS, CSTO, CICA. 
Here we see examples of a new galaxy, a new generation of organisations that operate on fair principles.”

What does Belarus offer

If the West is now not ready to talk about common security, but only talks about its own, then Belarus proceeds from the fact that the time for dialogue will come sooner or later. And we have specific ideas in this regard. Sergei Aleinik voiced three proposals from Belarus to form a model of Eurasian security.

•  Documenting the diversity of civilisations

– We have already formulated the idea of preparing a Diversity Charter for the 21st Century. Eurasian countries and even wider (countries of the global East and South, and in fact, the global majority) could openly and transparently develop a document that would set out the principles for building a fair world order and reflect the fact of the diversity of civilisations. Western countries could also become participants in the process. 

• Development of dialogue between the countries of the Eurasian space

– We need to seriously think about how to stop the movement along the escalation ladder, which has almost completely destroyed mutual trust. Dialogue is needed. As a stage of the future global process, dialogue between the countries of the Eurasian space should be developed, using all formats of interstate communication, including the platforms of international organisations and integration associations. 

• Holding a summit of Heads of State of the Eurasian space

– We all need to strive to attend a serious summit of Heads of State of the Eurasian space to discuss the future architecture of Eurasian security. An architecture that would ensure lasting peace on our common large continent, the peace necessary for progress, creation and sustainable development of countries and peoples.

Western view

Despite the risk of being subject to serious criticism in some parts of Europe, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto attended the conference. As he admitted during his speech, he decided to come to Minsk partly because global security is now in its worst state since the end of the Cold War.
The head of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry drew attention to the fact that today security issues for Europe as an integral part of Eurasia are only one of the challenges. 
The European Union is faced with another serious problem — a significant drop in the level of competitiveness of the European economy. Peter Szijjarto recalled that last year, for the first time, China took second place from the EU in terms of its share of global GDP.
The Hungarian minister asked how the European economy should develop in this situation, “An expression that has been mentioned many times by Western European politicians: a trade zone from Lisbon to Vladivostok. For many years this was the ideal that should become the basis for the economic development of Europe. But today this is difficult, since ties between Russia and Europe have been reduced to nothing in recent years. For Europe to be strong again, two things are needed: peace and dialogue.”

One-sided game

The geopolitical balance of power continues to change not in favour of the collective West. These main trends also influence the international processes unfolding in Eurasia, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov said, “International relations are experiencing new, truly epochal tectonic shifts. Before our eyes, a more equitable multipolar world order is expanding, based on the cultural and civilisational diversity of the modern world, the natural right of peoples to determine the paths and models of their own development, implementing the most important principle of the UN, written in its charter — the sovereign equality of states.”
Sergei Lavrov noted that a sign of the times is the desire of an increasing number of states of the global South and East to strengthen their sovereignty in all areas, to implement a pragmatic, independent nationally oriented course in world affairs, which was most clearly reflected in the recently begun process of rapid expansion of BRICS. By opting for zero-sum geopolitical games, the states of the North Atlantic Alliance, led by Washington, have provoked a serious security crisis in the European part of our continent.

By Svetlana Isaenok, Anastasia Tselyuk

Photos by Aleksandr Kushner