Andrei Sannikov: "Military-purpose Technologies` Transfer may be under Discussion" :: Charter'97 :: News

Today the Iran media have informed about the second day of Leanid Maltsau`s, minister of defense of Belarus, visit to Teheran. Until today the Belarusian state media haven`t informed of the Maltsau`s visit to Teheran, and the press-service of the defense agency has neither approved nor denied this information. "The state media here operate not in the information mode but in the mode of propaganda. It is not a surprise, that we`ve got to know about the Maltsau`s visit to Teheran from foreign press", considers Andrei Sannikov, former deputy minister for foreign affairs of Belarus, international coordinator of the Charter`97. "As far as the visit itself is concerned, any issue may be discussed there. Most likely, it may be air-defense devices, their electronic "filling" and possible maintenance service of the missile complexes, supplied by Russia, because corresponding specialists are available in Belarus and the Belarusian services will be cheaper than the Russian ones. It can`t be excluded that the nuclear program is under discussion. Creation of nuclear weapons is unlikely to be the direct subject of the discussion but the so-called "double-purpose" technologies are most likely to be discussed with Iran. The fact that it has been done on the sly and not covered by the state media does witness the possibility of military-purpose technologies` transfer to Iran", considers the Charter`97 coordinator.

Andrei Sannikov reminded that at present the issue of Iran`s nuclear programs is seriously treated by the Security Council of the UNO and, consequently, all contracts of Iran with military and technology agencies of other countries are under strict attention.

"That is why the Belarusian authorities failed to conceal the trip of their minister of defense. We can`t exclude the possibility that the Belarusian authorities` actions may contradict not only the US viewpoint on Iran but Russia`s politics either", pointed out Andrei Sannikov, former deputy minister of foreign affairs of Belarus."

On January 21, Sunday, the first round of negotiations between Leanid Maltsau`s ,minister of defense of Belarus, and his Iranian colleague Brigade General Mustafa Mohammed Nadjar .The Minsk delegation arrived to the Islamic republic on Sunday and, according to the local media, has been going to stay in Iran for two days .

In the course of his meeting with Maltsau, the Iranian official declared that his agency is doing its best for expanding its relations in the sphere of defense and security. "Belarus occupies a particular position in the international policy of Iran," declared Nadjar. "Despite the fact that our countries do not have a common borderline, Minsk and Teheran formulate similar viewpoints on international as well as regional issues. And that has resulted in cooperation so desired by our countries."

In his turn, Maltsau called Alyaksandr Lukashenka`s visit of November 2006 to Iran the key-point of the relations between the two countries.

The Belarusian minister emphasized the "important role" of Iran in the regional and international politics and expressed his country`s readiness for concluding the defense treaty with the Islamic republic.