BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

11/02/2009

Russia and Belarus in diplomatic row

Source: AFP

MINSK: Russia and Belarus were caught in a diplomatic row yesterday after Minsk said that it would not send its troops into combat as part of a new regional security accord. Belarus responded angrily to comments made Saturday by Russia's ambassador to Minsk that inter-governmental agreements carry greater legal weight than domestic law, which Belarus says bars its troops from joint-combat missions.

"Firstly, I would like to emphasize that it will not be for ambassadors of other countries to interpret relevant elements of the Belarusian legislation, foreign ministry spokesman Andrei Popov said. "Secondly there is a law of our country on that subject and it will be rigorously implemented."

Belarus, normally seen as a close ally of Russia, signed on as a founding member to an accord last week creating a rapid military reaction force based in Russia.

The Collective Security Treaty Organisation, seen as an ex-Soviet counterweight to NATO, is comprised of Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

But Belarus appeared to be backing away from one of the key provisions of the agreement, namely that it would contribute soldiers if necessary to take part in cooperative security actions.

"I want to emphasise with all certainty that our lads don't fight in 'conflict zones', and that they aren't going to fight," Foreign Minister Sergei Martinov said in an interview on Belarussian state television Saturday.

"All of our laws on this theme will be followed to the letter, and of this no one should have any doubt." Public reaction from the government in Moscow to the news has been muted but conciliatory.

One possibility floated by the Kremlin is for Belarussian troops to serve in a non-combat capacity. "The Belarussian constitution, indeed, forbids its military forces from serving in military operations for a foreign power," a foreign ministry spokesman told the Kommersant newspaper. "We are working over these questions

Source:

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=United+Kingdom+%26+Europe&month=February2009&file=World_News2009021165657.xml

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