Khrenin: Belarus’ membership will bolster SCO’s international authority
Viktor Khrenin. File photo
MINSK, 28 April (BelTA) – Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin and India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh had a meeting in New Delhi on the sidelines of the SCO Defense Ministers’ meeting in New Delhi, India, BelTA learned from the press service of the Defense Ministry.
As Viktor Khrenin noted, India is a friendly country to Belarus. It holds an important place in international and regional politics. «Cooperation with India is one of the important avenues of Belarus’ foreign policy, and our bilateral relations are based on the principles of respect and mutual understanding. Last year, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our countries. We really have something to be proud of. Joint efforts are underway to develop cooperation in traditional areas and find new points of contact in various fields of activity,» Viktor Khrenin said.
According to the defense minister, Belarus and India agree on the need to follow the path of dialogue and diplomacy for a speedy settlement of the conflict in Ukraine. «With World War III looming on the horizon, we are unanimous in the opinion that the only way to save the lives of millions of people is to start the negotiation process. Belarus is a peace-loving state. Located between the West and the East, Belarus perceives its geopolitical position as a link, an artery between them, not as a barrier, a buffer zone or a revolving door,» the defense minister stressed.
Viktor Khrenin believes that Belarus’ accession to the SCO can open up new prospects in building a single and diverse community, promoting ties between people, societies and countries. «And for this, we have already ratified all the necessary documents. We are confident that our membership will also contribute to bolstering the international role of the SCO as an example of a multilateral mechanism,» Viktor Khrenin said.
