The Role of Belarus in Protecting Peace

The first five years of the 21^st century did not make the world more peaceful and stable. The threat of global nuclear catastrophe was replaced by new challenges: international terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking, and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The emergence of unipolar world not only failed to ease tensions in international relations, but also brought about new hotbeds of conflicts, most negatively affected fates of many nations. Afghanistan became the centre of drug trafficking. Iraq continues to remain the source of instability of the entire region.

All these features of the modern world development acquired paramount importance for the Republic of Belarus, seriously influenced its foreign policy, the effectiveness of which largely depends on the accuracy of correlation between world trends and national objectives and possibilities at the international arena. Even under such circumstances, far from being favourable, peaceful pragmatism and democratic approach have been and remain political cornerstones of Belarus’ international strategy.

The Declaration on State Sovereignty adopted in Belarus in 1990, proclamation of economic and political independence of the country signified a new period of international development. Having realized its natural right to be independent, Belarus started to build a sovereign nation, conduct its own foreign policy, aimed at strengthening independence, inclusion in pan-European processes, fostering cooperation with neighbouring countries and world powers.

Because of the complicated historical path of Belarus, its foreign policy was formed through a synthesis of historical traditions with due regard for fundamentally new approaches related to drastic changes both in Belarus and in the world. The mentality of Belarusian people who had always been looking for friends and partners, specificity of today’s stage of development of international relations, pragmatic economic estimates determined the decision taken by Belarus to choose multidimensional foreign policy, which implies constructive work at all directions.

At the same time, objective limitation of Belarus’ foreign policy resources makes it necessary to concentrate them on the most important directions – this is a common practice in the world. Strategic goals of Belarus at the international arena are safeguarding the sovereignty of the nation, protecting interests of the citizens, preserving nuclear-free status.

The main goals of Belarus in the field of foreign policy are as follows:

- promotion of a favourable foreign policy environment for improving well-being of the citizens of

- integration of Belarus on an equal basis in the world political, economic, scientific, educational, cultural and communication areas;

- promotion of a stable, just and democratic world order based on the principles of international law;

- building good-neighbour relations with neighbouring countries;

- protection of rights and interests of Belarusian citizens abroad;

- promotion of national, cultural and other rights of ethnic Belarusians residing abroad;

- strengthening of international security, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, disarmament and arms control;

- expansion of international cooperation in environmental, informational and humanitarian fields;

- attraction of external intellectual resources for the purpose of educational, scientific and cultural development of Belarus;

- participation in international cooperation in the field of encouragement and promotion of human rights.

The Republic of Belarus has established diplomatic relations with 153 states. Diplomatic infrastructure has been developed abroad. Currently, 51 diplomatic missions in 45 countries worldwide represent Belarus, including 43 embassies, 3 permanent missions to international organizations, and 7 consulates general. 31 embassies of foreign countries, 3 branches of embassies, 1 trade mission, 13 consular offices, 12 missions of international organizations function in Belarus. 81 missions of foreign countries and international organizations are accredited to Belarus concurrently.

The priorities of the foreign policy of Belarus include allied relations with Russia, participation in pan-European political and economic processes, contribution to strengthening of regional and global security, work in international organizations.

Belarus proceeds from the conviction that world order of the 21^st century should be based on joint settlement of disputes, on the primacy of UN Charter and international law. Stability of the system of international relations can only be achieved through real equality of all its subjects, mutual respect and mutually advantageous cooperation.

Belarus, more than any other country, understands the necessity to preserve and promote world peace. Our country, having lost during World War II almost one third of its population, knows the price of peaceful life and does its best to ensure that military conflicts disappear from the practice of international relations forever.

Belarus pursues a balanced foreign policy, the main purpose of which is to strengthen its international positions. Belarus acts actively both in trade and economic field, security affairs, as well as in developing cultural ties and comprehensive cooperation between countries and nations.

Press-Release

of the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Russian Federation