Confidence building, Western tantrums and an economic action plan. What did Lukashenka talk about with the CSTO Foreign Ministers?

Alexander Lukashenko Alexander Lukashenko 123

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko met on June 20 with the foreign ministers of the CSTO member states. The leitmotif of the head of state's speech was the message to strengthen integration between the member countries of the organization, for which it is now more important than ever to stick together.

Important announcements for influential people

This is the third meeting of the President in the last few weeks with the heads of state structures of various integration associations: he met with the heads of the CIS special services, with the secretaries of the CSTO security councils. Both then and now, Alexander Lukashenko emphasized the importance of preserving these interstate structures, addressing those people who in their countries have a certain influence on political decision-making.

"No one needs us, except for the post-Soviet space that exists today after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In fact, we speak the same language, we have a single economy , we have single markets, industrial cooperation, and so on. In order to create this, it will not be enough period of life, neither ours nor our children's. And why break it? Why break this common market?" - the President asked a rhetorical question at a meeting on June 1.

"The military-political situation around our Commonwealth is becoming more and more aggravated, and it will become aggravated. And we need to understand that the big players around us - Russia, Belarus, the Central Asian states - will slowly try to pull us apart. And in a good way, and in a bad way We, men, must not allow this. This is my iron point of view," Aleksandr Lukashenko added at the time.

Alexander Lukashenko

That is why - in order to prevent discord in the integration structures - the President of Belarus has repeatedly called for the search for peaceful ways to resolve conflicts and repeated this again for the secretaries of the CSTO Security Councils: "For God's sake, do not quarrel with each other. We will still have the opportunity to quarrel with many: you See how they are trying to pull us apart."

In this series of events, today's meeting of the head of state with the CSTO foreign ministers looks like a systematic continuation of Belarus' work to strengthen integration structures in the post-Soviet space. What explains such persistence? The fact that the time for the CSTO is now very difficult, and it requires maximum mobilization of forces, experience and resources to maintain peace.

If there are problems, they must be solved

One of the shortcomings for which the CSTO is criticized is, according to the President, the lack of solutions to specific problems. For example, Kyrgyzstan has long been asking for help in resolving the conflict on the border with Tajikistan, while Armenia is making claims. "I will say that there are problems. And very serious problems. If we do not solve these problems, we will always reproach each other, express dissatisfaction with the functioning of the organization as a whole. Problems exist in order to solve them. Therefore, no matter how we twist No matter what, we must be immersed in the problems that CSTO member Armenia and CSTO members Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are solving today," Alexander Lukashenko said.

"There are problems, there are tasks, they must be solved, no matter how difficult and complex they may be," he added. If this is not done now, then there is a danger that "friends-advisers" from the West will get in there, and then it may be too late.

The markets have long been divided, and there is a tough fight over them. Or a good reason to stick together

As the head of state noted, areas of responsibility have been formed in the CSTO during its existence: “On the western flank of the CSTO, so to speak, real military threats to security have formed, unfortunately for us and for Russia (because this is our area of ​​responsibility). very serious, more serious than anywhere else. Unrest in the Transcaucasus and Central Asia (whether it will be)".

“Full-scale hybrid wars have been unleashed against sovereign countries that do not follow the instructions of the West,” the head of state noted. “We have lived through all this. Sometimes we do not draw conclusions from the past and begin to step on the old rake in new ways.”

"The current situation in the world leaves us no doubt that we must stick together," the Belarusian leader said. He is convinced that there is no reason to rush to make decisions about withdrawing from any integration associations, as Ukraine did in its time.or Georgia with the CIS. "An example of Georgia. You see a certain change in their policy: they are fed up with Western promises and other things and want to return to our market again, because no one will let you into their markets with milk, meat, or wine. Markets have long been divided, and a tough fight is going on for them. And the second reason why we should stick together is our developed market. Abroad, if they offer something, it means in exchange for resources (give resources - it means we will support you) or for some kind of policy (if you follow, click your heel and support the policy they are pursuing)," the head of state explained.

"They tilted and inserted the awl in the right place", or How the USA split Europe

Using obvious examples, the President proved that hasty decisions to withdraw from integration associations are not the best option for the country and its people. “We need to stick together, especially in this difficult time. And the point here is not that the main core of our organization is Russia- in a difficult situation. Russia is a part, it is an element of everything that is happening in the world,” Alexander Lukashenko said. According to him, there are problems of global importance in the African region, and between China and Taiwan, between the United States and Europe. “The Americans have split Europe, and now we have to rein it in. And they, the Europeans, reproach you (the CSTO countries. - Approx. BelTA), including me, that we are losing sovereignty here and so on. May the Lord be with you! You have long since lost it. How can one evaluate and how can one relate to the fact that they have abandoned cheap energy sources from Russia and take 3-5 times more expensive? What is it? They tilted it, inserted the awl in the right place, and there was very little left for them to collapse and roll on the ground. And they still reproach someone for the loss of sovereignty! What kind of sovereignty? On a global scale, there is a fierce fight, a battle.

“In this large-scale confrontation, we need to preserve our own, at least preserve,” the head of state stressed. This thesis acquired particular relevance during the period of opposition to sanctions pressure, against which Belarus and Russia joined forces, managed not only to survive, but also to give a powerful impetus to the development of their own technologies, industrial cooperation, and import substitution.

"Let's not lose it. You won't find anything outside our space (post-Soviet - approx. BelTA) - my point of view," the head of state said.

Common past, present and future for the CSTO

По мнению Президента, страны ОДКБ обладают прочной исторической базой, на которой строится их взаимодействие. Это - общее прошлое, связанное в том числе с защитой Советского Союза во время Великой Отечественной войны. А также - общие настоящее и будущее. "У нас есть общее настоящее, которое формируем мы с вами. Подтверждением является успешная работа на постсоветском пространстве интеграционных объединений. Оценивая насыщенную международную повестку в зоне нашей ответственности, уверен - у нас есть и общее будущее, которое зависит только от нас", - заявил белорусский лидер.

A number of positive examples of cooperation can be found in the work of integration associations in the post-Soviet space. Thus, at the last meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Moscow, issues of conjugation of integration processes, the creation of alternative payment systems, and the development of transport infrastructure were discussed. In the same row is the decision to launch, within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Commission, a mechanism for joint financing of projects in the field of industrial cooperation. This, according to the President, is the most important step in strengthening economic and commercial industrial sovereignty.

"In the CIS, we have the widest range of interaction - from humanitarian issues to interregional and cross-border cooperation, inter-parliamentary relations," Alexander Lukashenko continued. "The CSTO, as a guarantor of ensuring the stability and security of our countries and the Eurasian region as a whole, cannot be left behind."

The President considers the close ties of the CSTO countries in the political, military, economic, social and other spheres a guarantee of lasting peace between them and the basis of their unity in the international arena. “Today it is difficult to say what the world order will be like. However, it is obvious that only those who maintain cohesion will be able to go through this difficult stage with the least disruption. That is why we are increasingly talking about the need for greater integration within our organization,” the Belarusian leader stressed.

Economic Action Plan

To strengthen integration, the President suggested developing a common plan of action for the CSTO: "We need to understand that they will put pressure on us. Even if the conflict in Ukraine ends, they will not leave us behind. We need to develop a common plan of our actions, primarily in the economy."

One of the main goals of this plan should be to move away from dependence on the supply of imported products. “We will consider ourselves isolated, like the Soviet Union. But we must survive, we must determine what we can produce at home (we can do almost everything, 90 percent), and we will somehow buy 10% until we get away from dependence on imports," the head of state said.

According to him, Belarus and Russia in the bilateral track have already come close to developing such a plan and intend to implement it. "I think we are not far from the President of Russia to make this plan for two. Of course, we will not have 90% self-sufficiency, but let it be 80%. We have no other way. Just flounder, stagger from side to side and hope that again Someone will come to us, create something, and then leave - we don't have time for that," the President said.

What is Belarus ready to do in order to strengthen confidence in the CSTO?

"Солидарность, единство и сотрудничество лежат в основе концепции нашего председательства в ОДКБ", - обратил внимание глава государства. Он выразил признательность странам - участницам организации за поддержку приоритетов белорусского председательства в ОДКБ, которые, как уверен Президент, отвечают общим интересам.

"Мы исходим из того, что сегодня важнейшим направлением является урегулирование кризисов в зоне ОДКБ. Если потребуется помощь от Беларуси, а в данном случае - наши инициативы, они будут. Для того чтобы восстановить и укрепить доверие между нашими партнерами, мы сделаем все, - подчеркнул Александр Лукашенко. - ОДКБ - не агрессивный и не наступательный военно-политический блок. Это организация исключительно оборонительного характера с созидательной и объединительной повесткой".

The collective diplomatic voice of the CSTO or the aggressive cries of the West - who will be heard in the international arena

As for the interaction of the CSTO with other organizations (for example, the UN, the SCO), here, according to the President, it is also necessary to strengthen the work and speak more often on behalf of the CSTO at international platforms so that this voice is heard. “Of course, they don’t want to hear us on purpose. We are like a bone in the throat for someone: either to NATO, or to the European Union, or to the Americans along with them. Nevertheless, our voice as a military-political bloc should sound,” he noted Alexander Lukashenko.

Another aspect that the head of state dwelled on was the need to build up the information and analytical potential of the CSTO: “Today we are all in the war zone of information and psychological operations, we especially feel it, including Russia has recently felt it. Yes and you too. We will not get away from this. We need to learn how to increase our efforts in the information and analytical field and in cooperation with the media."

“Today, aggressive hysteria, primarily in the West, drowns out (so far drowns out) the voices of wisdom and reason. They don’t want to hear initiatives, including those of Belarus, to restore trust, strengthen regional and international security,” the Belarusian leader said.

Alexander Lukashenko

“One cannot rely only on the fact that common sense will nevertheless prevail. We should not relax, and all efforts must be directed to strengthening and further progressive development of our organization,” the President emphasized. “I am absolutely convinced that the collective diplomatic voice of the CSTO will contribute a significant contribution to the restoration of peace and security in the region".

Alexander Lukashenko expressed confidence that these and other topical issues will be reflected in the agenda of the summit of the CSTO heads of state, which will be held in November 2023 in Minsk.