BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

02/03/2007

Belarus to Defend Jointly with Russia

Belarus won't go back upon the union commitments concerning defense of the common area, Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko vowed.

"We will never renounce our union obligations in part of defending the common area," Alexander Lukashenko said Thursday in an interview to the Qatar Al-Jazeera TV, Interfax reported.

"Whatever relations with Russia's authorities, it has never happened that we [Belarus] would betray the Russians," Lukashenko said. "In the West, they should understand that our friendship is above all," the president emphasized.

When speaking about the U.S. plans to extend the missile defense system into Europe, Lukashenko said that it was just the beginning. "I think it is just the beginning. Here, in Europe, the U.S. Armed Forces will be materially reinforced."

"Therefore, Russia should be very active in the western direction to secure itself," the president added.

Source:

http://www.kommersant.com/p-10230/defense_jointly/