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Cooperation of Belarus and NATO does not affect relations with Russia — defense minister

Belarus-NATO relations are part of Minsk’s "multi-vector foreign policy and are aimed at maintaining good-neighborly relations with all countries in the region and in the world"

MINSK, June 17. /TASS/. Belarus’ cooperation with NATO is in line with the country’s national interests and will not affect allied relations with Russia, Belarusian Defense Minister Gen. Lt. Andrey Ravkov told TASS in an exclusive interview on Wednesday.

"The cooperation between our country and the North Atlantic Alliance is stable, practically oriented, in line with our national interests, and it does not affect the interests of allied relations with Russia," Ravkov said.

Belarus-NATO relations are part of Minsk’s "multi-vector foreign policy and are aimed at maintaining good-neighborly relations with all countries in the region and in the world," the defense minister noted.

The official reminded that the dialogue between Belarus and NATO is maintained in the framework of the North Atlantic Council which the country joined in 1992, as well as in the Alliance’s program Partnership for Peace (PfP), which Minsk joined in 1995.

"Practical cooperation is gradually implemented in different spheres on the basis of the Individual Partnership Program and the PfP Planning and Review Process," Ravkov said. Belarusian representatives participate in conferences, sessions and seminars, undergo training at NATO’s special courses of different practical orientation, the defense minister added. "The events encompass a wide range of issues if securing international and regional security and developing international relations in the military spheres," Ravkov concluded.