Belarus Welcomes Signing of Russia-US Treaty on Strategic Offensive Arms Reduction

Belarus welcomes the signing of a Russia-US Treaty on Measures for Further Strategic Offensive Arms Reduction and Limitation. We regard it as a significant contribution to strengthening of strategic security and stability in the world, reads the official statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus in connection with the signing of the Treaty between the Russian Federation and the United States of America on Measures for Further Strategic Offensive Arms Reduction and Limitation.

Belarus welcomes the signing of a Russia-US Treaty on Measures for Further Strategic Offensive Arms Reduction and Limitation. We regard it as a significant contribution to strengthening of strategic security and stability in the world, reads the official statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus in connection with the signing of the Treaty between the Russian Federation and the United States of America on Measures for Further Strategic Offensive Arms Reduction and Limitation.

Official Minsk expects that Russian and U.S. parties will initiate efforts to work out effective measures aimed at further reduction in offensive weapons which could make the process of nuclear disarmament irreversible and multilateral. Further successes on the disarmament "track" will depend, to a large extent, exactly on the collective efforts of all interested members of the international community.

The statement also appreciates the recognition of Belarus’ contribution to the process of nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation which is mentioned in the preamble of the new Treaty. Belarus was the first state that voluntarily abandoned its nuclear weapons and for many years was a responsible party to the Treaty on Reduction and Limitation in Strategic Offensive Arms of 1991.

Belarus believes that Russia and the U.S. will comply with the documented in Budapest Memoranda 1994 security guarantees, which were confirmed in a joint US-Russian statement of December 4^th, 2009. Belarus also expects that the political dialogue and expert cooperation on the matter will continue.