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PRESS RELEASE
Voluntary Steps Made by Belarus in 1991-2004 for Strengthening European and Global Security
The Republic of Belarus has made a considerable contribution to strengthening regional and global security through transparent practical steps in both conventional and nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation some of which are listed below.
Belarus became the first state to have voluntarily rejected an opportunity to continue to possess nuclear weapons inherited from the Soviet Union after the latter’s breakup. On July 22, 1993, Belarus joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as a non-nuclear-weapon state party. Belarus completed the transfer of all nuclear weapons from its territory to the Russian Federation on November 27, 1996.
Being a party to the majority of multilateral treaties and agreements in the area of nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, including the NPT, the Strategic Arms Reduction (START I) Treaty and the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, Belarus has been strictly observing its obligations under these treaties. Of special significance is a huge practical contribution made by Belarus to nuclear disarmament, including under the INF Treaty, where Belarus has destroyed 584 tactical nuclear missiles, as well as their launchers and auxiliary equipment.
Under the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty, Belarus has destroyed, despite tremendous economic and financial difficulties, 1773 battle tanks, 1341 combat armored vehicles and 130 combat aircraft, which is more than 10% of all heavy military equipment destroyed under the Treaty and is almost three times more than the armaments destroyed under the same treaty jointly by the United States, Great Britain and France.
The Republic of Belarus has actively participated in adapting the CFE Treaty to new geopolitical realities and elaborating the 1999 Vienna Document on security and confidence-building measures. In 2000, Belarus became the first OSCE member-state to have ratified the Agreement on the Adaptation of the CFE Treaty.
Belarus has signed and ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction (BTWC), the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction (CWC), the Hague Code of Conduct on the Prevention of the Proliferation of Ballistic Missiles and the IVth Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and has been strictly observing its obligations under these international agreements.
Belarus has set up efficient export control system that meets highest international criteria and has been strictly observing internationally recognized export control norms in all areas, including legislation, the system of licensing for the controlled items, lists of items subject to export control, mechanism of practical realization of legislative and normative provisions and control over their implementation and criminal responsibility for illegal exports. The Nuclear Suppliers Group recognized the nation’ achievements in ensuring strict export controls and accepted Belarus as its full member in 2000.
Belarus was among the most active participants to the negotiation process on working out the OSCE Document on Small Arms and Light Weapons and the UN Program of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. In 2002, Belarus initiated the preparation and adoption by the OSCE Forum on Security Cooperation of Decision # 9/02 “Submission to the United Nations of the standardized reply in the context of information exchange on SALW within the OSCE framework” as well and voluntarily submitted national exchange information on the OSCE Document on SALW on national legislation and existing practices in the area of export control to the UN member-states. All this has been a significant contribution to the implementation of the UN Program of Action and to furthering transparency in export and import of SALW.
Belarus has been pursuing responsible policies in arms trade, strictly adhering to common international norms and principles. Belarus has not traded and does not trade in arms in violation of the UN Security Council’s sanctions. Belarus’ export of arms and military equipment is transparent, which is proved by annual submission of information on supplies to the UN Register of Conventional Arms. This information is open for international community through the UN Internet web site.
In the fall of 2002, Belarus was the first among CIS states to have submitted the National Report on Export Control Policies and Arms and Military Equipment Exports for 2001/2002. Belarus submitted similar report for 2002/2003 and intends to continue this practice in future on a regular basis.
On 3 September 2003, Belarus deposited its Instrument of Accession to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction. The Republic of Belarus was severely affected by indiscriminate use of mines during two world wars. Belarus fully shares all mine-related humanitarian concerns of international community. Belarus still suffers the consequences of World War II: a lot of unexploded ordnance, including anti-personnel mines, still kill and maim civilian population. Belarus neither produces nor develops anti-personnel mines (APMs). Belarus does not use APMs for protecting its borders or for any other purposes. All mines are stockpiled and the stockpiles are safe and well guarded. In 1995 the Republic of Belarus signed a two-year moratorium on the export of anti-personnel mines. It has later been repeatedly extended by Belarus and is now in force through the end of 2007. The Republic of Belarus faces a severe problem of eliminating a huge stockpile of more than 4 million anti-personnel mines inherited after the break-up of the Soviet Union. Belarus’ mine arsenal is the seventh largest in the world. These APMs must be destroyed under the Ottawa Convention. The Engineering Forces of the Armed Forces of Belarus have started the elimination of anti-personnel mines. Since 1997, 168 922 landmines have been destroyed at the cost of over 102,000 US dollars. The cost of destroying one anti-personnel mine is about US $ 0.6.
The Republic of Belarus believes that developing security and confidence building measures is a key element of arms control at regional and subregional levels. Within the strategy of forming the “good-neighborliness belt” along our borders declared by President Aleksandr Lukashenko, Belarus has signed agreements on additional security and confidence building measures with Ukraine and Lithuania in 2001 and with Latvia and Poland in 2004. These measures provide for a confidence and security perimeter important for all neighbors. Belarus has also been a party to the Open Skies Agreement, which facilitates increased transparency and the strengthening of confidence in the region and in Europe as a whole.
At the Prague (2002) and Istanbul (2004) summits of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council Belarus initiated proposals to develop regional cooperation in ensuring security of oil and gas lines, nuclear power stations and other critical infrastructure. Belarus has been actively developing cooperation with all states of the Euro-Atlantic region in emergency planning.
Belarus is ready to share responsibilities in ensuring peace and international stability. In 2003-2004, Belarus established legislative base for joining peacekeeping activities and decisions were made for training peacekeeping potential.
Belarus has consistently supported the efforts of the international community to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. In the UN First Committee, Belarus initiated resolutions on the prohibition of the development and production of new types of weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons. Belarus supported UN Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) on countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and means of their delivery. Belarus has been developing corresponding national report which will be submitted to the UN Security Council before the end of 2004.
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