BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

03/02/2009

Russia and Belarus sign air defence pact

Russia and Belarus have signed an air defence pact cementing their opposition to US plans for a missile defence shield in Eastern Europe.

The agreement will create a joint force consisting of five Russian and Belarusian air force squadrons, and 10 missile batteries and radar facilities.

"Signing an agreement to create a joint regional air defence system will be a notable event in strengthening our ties," said Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian president.

"This will considerably strengthen the defence capability of both Russia and Belarus."

Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarussian president described as "Europe's last dictator" by the Bush administration, is reported to have secured economic aid and a discounted arms deal in exchange for the agreement.

The Soviet-style Belarusian economy has been hit hard by the global financial crisis and President Lukashenko has pressed Moscow for an extra top up loan of ?2 billion to supplement existing Russian credit worth ?1.4 billion.

General Alexander Zelin, the Russian air force commander, has suggested that the treaty will form a key part of Russia's missile defence strategy.

Both Russia and Belarus, a former Soviet republic, are staunch opponents of American plans to station a missile defence shield in Poland and the Czech Republic.

The new treaty also reflects a deep mistrust of Nato's Eastern expansion and the question of Western Alliance membership for Ukraine and Georgia.

Russian defence officials have frequently raised the possibility of stationing anti-missile systems in Belarus to counter the US shield.

President Medvedev threatened in November to deploy Iskander tactical missiles in Russia's Kaliningrad enclave, which borders Poland, unless the US backed down.

But the Kremlin has since distanced itself from the threat after signals that the President Barack Obama may be less enthusiastic on missile defence than George W Bush.

Source:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/4449507/Russia-and-Belarus-sign-air-defence-pact.html

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