Shevtsov: Belarus won't join GUAM due to Eastern Partnership

Alexander Lukashenka will not join GUAM, an international grouping of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova, says political commentator Yury Shevtsov. The Russian business daily Kommersant recently ran a report suggesting Belarus was invited by Georgia to enter the grouping described by Moscow as clearly anti-Russian.  In the view of Shevtsov, GUAM has lost its magnitude in connection with Ukraine's new foreign policy course. That's why it is very unlikely that Belarus will join the bloc, according to the expert. "I think it is unlikely, because GUAM aimed at the realization of Ukraine's anti-Russian aspirations in the first place. Now, Ukraine is different. I am not sure Ukraine needs to boost GUAM. Ukraine has other instruments to promote its policy in the Caucasus. It seems like an initiative of the presidents of two small countries at the moment", Shevtsov said.

Belarus does not need to take the place of Ukraine, because our country is a member EU's Eastern Partnership program which was launched in the place of GUAM, notes the expert.