Russia to open air base in Belarus by 2015
BELARUS: Russia on Tuesday announced an agreement to open an air base
in Belarus by 2015, part of the two post-Soviet neighbours' plan to
forge a political and military alliance on the doorstep of the European
Union.
“We are beginning to work on a plan to create here a Russian air base
with fighter jets,” Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was quoted as
saying at a meeting with Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko.
“We plan to continue to address the issues necessary for
strengthening the defensive capabilities of our Belarussian colleagues
and brothers,” Shoigu was quoted as saying by Lukashenko's office.
The base is due to open in 2015, while the first fighter jets will
appear in Belarus already this year, Shoigu was quoted as saying.
He added that under an earlier agreement, Russia next year will send
to Belarus four batteries of S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems.
Russia already has a radar station and a navy radio station in
Belarus but the air unit will be Russia's first major military base in
that country.
The two countries already have a customs union and cooperate within
the framework of the so-called Union State alliance.
Together with the Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan, they also have
agreed to create a Eurasian economic union, an EU-style project
championed by Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring together
ex-Soviet states.
Relations between Moscow and Minsk have at times also been prickly,
as mercurial Belarus strongman Lukashenko has in recent years launched
populist attacks against Russia over energy price hikes.
Belarus, which has borders with EU states Poland, Lithuania and
Latvia, has grown increasingly isolated from the West under Lukashenko's
rule and repeatedly squabbles with the European Union over its rights
record.
Moscow and Minsk plan to hold joint military exercises in Belarus in
September.
The West has in the past expressed concern over the two countries'
manoeuvres on Poland's border, saying they run counter to an improvement
in ties between Moscow and NATO.
In his meeting with the Russian Defence Minister, Lukashenko defended
his military cooperation with Moscow, saying it was not aimed against
Europe.
“We are not hiding from everyone that we are the closest peoples and
are trying to build a single policy,” Lukashenko was quoted as saying.
“If we are preparing our Armed Forces, Security Forces for the
defence of our common interests and lands then we should conduct
appropriate events including military exercises,” he said.
“I do not understand why the West is so suspicious about them.” Putin
chose Belarus for his first foreign trip abroad after returning to the
Kremlin for a third term last May. He went to Minsk after rejecting US
President Barack Obama's personal invitation to a White House summit.
AFP
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