Statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus V.Makei at the Fifth Meeting of CICA Ministers of Foreign Affairs (April 28, 2016, Beijing)

Dear Mr. Chairman
Dear colleagues!

It is my great honour to participate for the very first time in this important and representative forum. First of all I would like to express my sincere gratitude to members of the Organization, who supported Belarus’ application for an observer status at the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).

Our desire to join this influential international organization and the unique dialogue platform was not occasional.

Pursuant to the principle of indivisibility of global security, the Republic of Belarus totally supports the CICA efforts aimed at peace building and sustainable development in Asia and in a broader international context.

It is clear today that challenges to security, economic, ecological and humanitarian areas are common to all of us, shared by everyone and increase significantly the demand for dialogue, confidence building measures and search of compromises. That is what the President of the People’s Republic of China was talking about.

It was an inspiring statement by the President, aimed at the future. Belarus fully supports the ideas, voiced by the President of the People’s Republic of China regarding issues of security arrangements in the world and Asian region. 

Belarus has close relations with many CICA countries. Relations with several of partners have a long-standing strategic nature.  With a number of CICA member-states we are integrated into various formats – from the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SOC) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

Common footing underlying aims, interests and values made it possible for the CICA countries to support Belarusian initiatives in the United Nations: those of combating trafficking in persons, promoting diversity of ways towards progressive development and promoting traditional family values.

This is a strong basis to enhance our cooperation on a broad spectrum of various topics, including sectoral mechanisms and topical activities of the CICA.

What can Belarus offer to the Organization on its part?

Belarus has always been and does remain for you a credible and predictable partner in the European region, an important joining element between the East and the West.

As it contributes to combatting modern threats and challenges Belarus plays a role of a regional security donor. It presents no threat to anyone but actively participates in handling the most complicated regional conflicts.

Belarus plays a role of the western frontier for our Eurasian partners in their fight against terrorism, organized crime, illegal drugs trafficking and illegal migration. It would be at least inexcusable not to join efforts together in this work. We are ready to expand our cooperation both with various countries and specialized agencies,  to actively exchange information and relevant experience  with our CICA partners.

The process of finding effective answers to modern challenges and threats goes together with the need to solve economic problems, which in their turn often become a nourishing breeding ground  for terrorism, crime and illegal migration.

The breakthrough from our viewpoint lies in the field of mutually beneficial economic integration. That is why our country is a consistent advocate of integration processes in Eurasia, supports rapprochement of the Eurasian Economic Union with other unions and projects.

Speaking to you today in Beijing I cannot but point out that the Republic of Belarus actively supports the “One Belt, One Road” strategy, put forward by the Chairman of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping. We are sincerely interested in becoming an important part of the Silk Road Economic Belt. We believe that the implementation of this grand concept on connecting vast areas can significantly contribute to the confidence building on the Eurasian continent and turn into a new mutually beneficial model of cooperation.

The coupling of integration structures and projects is aimed  at providing a sustainable “Asian pillar”, which may not be lived  up to without stability and prosperity of a multi-polar world.

Dear colleagues,

It has never been that important in modern politics to listen and understand each other. Trust, dialogue, respect – these are the values that the modern world lacks catastrophically today. They have to turn into a stonecast basis for cooperation tomorrow for the sake of security and well-being of our people, for development and prosperity of all countries.

Thank you for your attention.