Events

MINSK, 27 April (BelTA) – Hosting a session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE PA) in Minsk in July 2017 will strengthen Belarus’ positions in the international arena, reads the article by Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei. The article was published by Belaruskaya Dumka magazine and is dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the independent Belarus’ foreign policy, BelTA has learned.

“Belarus has been an active participant of the OSCE PA. A logical results was a decision to give Belarus the right to host the regular OSCE PA session in July 2017,” Vladimir Makei noted. “The large-scale event will strengthen Belarus’ positions in the OSCE and in the international arena. We intend to hold it with maximum efficiency.”

For Belarus the OSCE will remain, at least in the short term, a very important channel for communicating its positions and an instrument of promoting foreign policy initiatives, developing important dialogue with the European Union and the United States, attracting international expertise for the benefit of the country.

Vladimir Makei drew special attention to the growth of global competition for factors of production such as energy, primary and water resources, food, innovations, and highly-qualified specialists. In such difficult conditions, in the period of geopolitical rift between East and West, Belarus has showed it is a mature state with a stable sociopolitical system responding adequately to new challenges and threats, effectively adapting to external factors. The country pursues a multi-vector foreign policy, which is the greatest achievement of the independent Belarus. East and West have persistently pushed Belarus to make a final geopolitical choice. Belarus patiently explains to its partners that Belarusians have their own national interests that do not include sticking to one particular direction of foreign policy. Multi-vector policy was chosen as the best possible principle of Belarus’ development because it enables the country to systematically develop internal and external conditions in order to build multiple geopolitical foundations.

Belarus aims to step up cooperation with all the neighbors and balance national interests between different centers of power, foster relations with all countries not harming or taking advantage of anyone. Belarus always prefers to hold a dialogue with those who are ready to develop relations with Belarus on equal terms, without pressure and coercion, the article reads.