Joint air-defense system with Russia will not affect Belarus-West talks

Former Belarus's defense minister describes this project as mutually advantegous for Belarus and Russia and says that even when Belarus will one day try to the enter the European Union, a joint air-defense system with Russia will not hamper that move . During a meeting in Sochi in August 2008, Belarus and Russian presidents agreed to create a joint air defense syste. It was declared that an agreement would be signed at the next session of the Supreme State Council of the Union State in fall.

With the fall coming to the end, there is no talk about signing this agreement. It is interesting that decision between Medvedev and Lukashenka was associated by experts with America's plans to deploy the elements of the missile shield in Poland. After Barack Obama won the presidential office in the United States, the deployment of the missile shield in Poland has become under question. Perhaps, that's why Belarus and Russia are not in hurry to sign a deal about a joint air-defense system.

Former Belarus's defense minister Paval Kazlouski reckons that even American missile shield is not deployed in Poland, it will hardly affect agreements between Minsk and Moscow.

Кazlouski: These are totally different issues. There are examples of good joint air-defense systems: US-Canada, the European system. This is a defensive system of mutual advantage for Belarus and Russia. I would not connect this with the possible deployment of missile shield in Europe or missile in the Kaliningrad. This issue (the creation of a joint air-defense system with Russia) was even discussed when I was the defense minister in 1992-1994. It is totally normal.


ERB: Why has it taken so much time to resolve this issue if it is advanageous for the both sides?

Because the creation of the union has not been resolved yet. In the agreement about the union state, the creation of a common air defense was one of the paragraphs that deal with the defense.

ERB: But the issue of the union state raise more and more doubts...

That's why an agreement about a joint air-defense system is not getting signed.

ERB: But if this deal is eventually signed, how can it affect a dialogue between BElarus and the West which is just beginning?

If I were in the West's shoes, I would not link this agreement with anything. It is an abolutely normal agreement about the creation of an air-defense syste. If we dream a little bit and imagine that Belarus will try to enter the European Union, this united air-defense system will not hamper this dialogue.

ЕRB: However, I heard from US officials that they had a negative attitude to the military cooperation between Belarus and Russia...

The position of the United States is clear in the sense that they would not want Belarus to strengthen its ties with Russia. Ukraine, Georgia have a very clear position, while Belarus is hesitating. The United States does not want a union between Russia and Belarus, but the air-defense system is one of quite important paragraphs of the union agreement.

ERB: Can this system be used for an attack?

Well... If this happens, this system even allows to intercept planes beyond the borders of Belarus. If there are planes from the West carrying bombs on us, the system will allow to intercept those place and bombs will be fallin on Poland. But this will mean a war.