Emanuelis Zingeris: “Russia and Belarus building aggressive alliance”
- 20.02.2009, 13:52
The Seimas (parliament) of Lithuania draws attention of the Europeans to a danger of creation of Russian-Belarusian joint air defense system.
In spite of talks about signs of democracy in Belarus, there is no thaw in the country, Emanuelis Zingeris, member of the Committee on Foreign Affaires at the Lithuanian Seimas, states. In his view, creation of the Russian-Belarusian joint air defense system demonstrates an aggressive character of the military alliance, which will soon become a neighbour of Lithuania.
E. Zingeris told it journalists on Friday, when the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affaires was discussing relations with Belarus, Lithuanian website Delfi.lt reports.
The session of the Committee was attended by foreign minister Vygaudas Ušackas, head of the State Security Department Povilas Malakauskas, and head of the Second Investigation Department of the Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania Juozas Kačergius,
One of the issues discussed was the Russian-Belarusian joint air defense system, on which creation Alyaksandr Lukashenka and Dmitry Medvedev agreed.
“It was a sincere talk. We have estimated our interests in Belarus. Our national interest is independent, stable, functioning according to the laws of open and free market Belarus, which will develop in the direction of open and democratic society,” V. Ušackas told journalists.
E. Zingeris called plans by Belarus and Russia on creation of the joint air defense system “iron strategy of the two countries”, “a joint structure of the outer borders and inner army”, demonstrating alliance of Russia and Belarus in the sphere of internal affaires, defense, and secret services.
“This treaty is aimed outside. He shows an aggrieve character of the military alliance close to our borders. NATO does not have such aims in relation to Russia and Belarus,” the MP said.
At the same time, the member of the Committee on Foreign Affaires called upon Lithuanian businessmen to refrain from hasty investing in the Belarusian market in order not to become hostages.
“I suggest that our business should be oriented on stable NATO and EU environment, Scandinavian and other western European countries. Though we will have less income, we will be able not to afraid that at any moment the dictator may issue an order, which will be fulfilled,” E. Zingeris said.
According to him, Lithuania can’t afford “to swallow a bait of unprecedented profit, and then trembling in fear that the profit may become hostage of Belarus and Russia”.
E. Zingeris thinks that Lithuania shouldn’t run for dear life to implement a course of some EU’s institutions on “positive estimation of Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s actions”. According to him, there are forces that by favourable statements about Belarus want to make Lithuania become a mediator between the East and the West, a spokesman for Russia and Belarus in the NATO and the US.