MINSK, June 25. /TASS/. Over the 25 years of diplomatic relations, Russia and Belarus have established strategic allied relations that are in the interests of both nations, the Russian and Belarusian foreign ministries said in a joint statement on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
The statement was posted on the Belarusian foreign ministry’s Facebook account on Sunday.
"July 25, 2017 marks the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Belarus," the statement says. "Over these years, our countries have established strategic allied relations which are in the interests of both nations."
The document notes that the two countries are maintaining active political dialogue at all levels. "The sustainable infrastructure of cooperation that has been formed over these years helps to swiftly find mutually acceptable solutions to all problems of the bilateral agenda," the statement says.
It stresses that Belarus and Russia are among most active members of integration associations within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). They are a driving force promoting multilateral initiatives within such associations as the Eurasian Economic Union, the CIS, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). "We stand for multilateral and collective approaches to the resolution of pressing global and regional problems, the principle of non-interference into domestic affairs of states, non-acceptance of the policy sanctions and unilateral economic and trade restrictions," the statement says.
The two countries condemn terrorism in any of its manifestations and believe that this phenomenon can be efficiently rebuffed only through collective effort, without politicizing and double standards, with strict compliance with the United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Moscow and Minsk share the opinion that "the crisis in eastern Ukraine has no military solution and should be settled by political and diplomatic means on the basis of the Minsk agreements," the statement stresses.
The two countries pledge to continue to coordinate their approaches to the most acute problems of the OSCE agenda and stand for reforms in this organization. "Russia and Belarus continue to coordinate their relations with the European Union and will exert joint effort to establish ties between the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union," the document says.