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PRESS RELEASE
Belarus: Fighting International Terrorism
The Republic of Belarus has never traded and does not trade in armaments in violation of sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council considered by Belarus as the only universal body in the system of international security entitled to introduce prohibitions or restrictions on exporting armaments or military equipment to other states.
While exporting armaments and military products, Belarus strictly observes universally accepted international norms and pursues responsible and consistent policies in the area of disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and conventional armaments and military technologies.
Belarus has developed a multi-stage export control system that efficiently prohibits non-sanctioned deliveries of armaments.
Since 1993, Belarus has on a regular basis submitted data on exports of armaments and military equipment to the UN Register of Conventional Arms. This data is open to international community and can be easily accessed through the UN web site.
In 2002, Belarus became the first CIS country to have presented its National Report on Policies of Export Controls and Arms and Military Equipment Exports and that became an annual practice. On 20 November 2003, Belarus presented the next regular National Report for 2002/2003.
In July 2003, Belarus approved, along with other OSCE states, decision 7/03 of the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation “Man-Portable Air Defense Systems” under which member-states undertook to facilitate the use of efficient and comprehensive export control mechanisms with respect to these armaments. Besides, in September 2003, the Heads of States of the CIS adopted at their summit the decision “On Measures to Control International Transfers of “Igla” and “Strela” MANPADS by the CIS Member-States”. The summit also decided to establish a mechanism for exchanging information on sales, transfers and exports of MANPADS.
All this is an indisputable proof of the contribution made by Belarus to increase transparency in arms trade at both regional and global levels as well as to strengthen antiterrorist campaign.
Belarus considers the development of constructive cooperation with the NATO as an important component of its contribution to the efforts of the international community to fight terrorism. The Government of Belarus aims to expand practical interaction with the NATO within the existing mechanisms of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) to ensure efficient collective counteraction against emerging challenges and threats.
To advance this position, at the November 2002 EAPC summit in Prague, Belarus put forward the following specific initiatives in this area:
- conducting in Belarus a training exercise to further develop teamwork in fighting a radiological threat, which is a genuine possible terrorist threat; Belarus has unique experience in this area following the Chernobyl disaster and is ready to share it;
- providing to the EAPC a team of rescue experts that can be deployed in Central and Eastern Europe to extend urgent assistance in eliminating the consequences of the use of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons;
- providing a fully equipped training ground of the Ministry of Emergencies of the Republic of Belarus to be used as a regional center of the Partnership for Peace for training rescue experts;
- developing partnership action plan to ensure closer cooperation in border protection, and fighting illegal migration and illicit trade in armaments and nuclear, chemical and biological materials; the plan should also cover measures to strengthen the protection of strategic facilities, that might be potential terrorist targets, including nuclear power stations, oil and gas pipelines and other facilities;
- providing training in fighting terrorism by Belarusian experts to special forces units from Central Asia partner-states.
Belarus considers international terrorism as one of the most serious threats to international security and fully supports the efforts of the international community to set up the necessary conditions for its eradication.
Belarus actively participates in international cooperation in fighting terrorism at universal, regional and bilateral levels.
Belarus is a party to 11 out of 12 universal international treaties, aimed at fighting terrorism, and is at present finalizing the necessary procedures to ratify the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism of 9 December 1999.
Belarus stands for earliest adherence by all states to existing international anti-terrorist conventions as well as for finalizing the drafts of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism and Universal Convention on International Terrorism.
Belarus fully supports the activities of the United Nations Counter Terrorism Committee and actively interacts with it. Belarus stands for full implementation by all states of UN Security Council resolution 1373 (2001) on the suppression of terrorism and of all other Security Council resolutions.
Belarus’ position of principle is that the fight against terrorism should be carried out in strict conformity with the international law rejecting the practice of using “double standards” or force pressure in approaches of members of antiterrorist coalition.
In this connection, of utmost significance is the issue of human rights in the context of terrorism and fight against terrorism that has recently been raised ever more actively on an international arena. Two important aspects can be distinguished here. Firstly, terrorism is a violation of a fundamental human right, the right to life. Fighting terrorism, therefore, should above all ensure the protection of this right. Secondly, human rights should not be violated in the process of fighting terrorism. For Belarus, the eradication of terrorism is the most important task. However, the most significant achievements of modern civilization, including the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, should not be defied in the process.
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