MINSK, November 23. /TASS/. Minsk is concerned about the unprecedented militarization of NATO’s member-states bordering on Belarus, because it is fanning tensions and provoking a further arms race, as follows from a news release the Belarusian Foreign Ministry issued after Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei’s participation in the joint meeting of the CSTO foreign and defense ministers and security councils’ secretaries and the session of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in Yerevan on Wednesday.
"In his speech, Makei underscored the deepening crisis of the existing world order, which has already affected all spheres of international relations. He pointed to the discrediting of the most important institutions of maintaining peace, security and stability, such as the UN and the OSCE, and the destruction of international instruments in the field of arms control and non-proliferation. He also expressed deep concern over the unprecedented scale of militarization of the NATO member-countries bordering on Belarus, which contributes to the growth of military-political tensions and provokes a further arms race," the statement reads.
Earlier, Minsk repeatedly pointed to the strengthening of NATO’s forces and national armies in Poland and the Baltic states. Minsk believes that the forces deployed near its borders can be used as strike groups against Belarus and Russia.