Is Maltsau not authorised to sign agreement with Russia on common air defence system?

At a session of the permanent seminar for media covering military themes, minister of defence of Belarus Leanid Maltsau didn’t answered a question if he had been authorised to sign an agreement with Russia on creation a Common Regional Air Defence System.

The minister only referred to a decision of the two heads of states, adopted on August 19 on Sochi, on signing this document by the end of the current year, BelaPAN reports.

Leanid Maltsau said what measures Belarus took to prevent military risk turning into military threats. According to him, they are multi-vector policy and strengthening of military potential of the country in the frames of developing of Military Forces. “One need to defend himself until help comes,” L. Maltsau said. The ministers also named supporting of high moral spirit of the population among the above mentioned measures.

Among the dangers for Belarus, L. Maltsau named nuclear arsenals in different states, hot spots and military conflicts, interference with inner affaires of Belarus, creation and build of offensive potential, as well as extremism, terrorism, illegal trafficking of weapon, explosive substances, drugs, illegal migration.

“Military forces are a political instrument for any state. War is continuation of the policy by violence. But our military forces are not a war instrument, but a no-war instrument,” the minister of defence said.