Belarusian Defence Minister Viktar Khrenin said he hopes for a full resolution of the conflict surrounding Iran. He made the statement at a meeting of defence ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) countries taking place in Bishkek.
“Over the years, the SCO has not only expanded with new member states, observers and partner countries. It has significantly broadened its scope of activity and become one of the key centres of power in the future multipolar world, uniting nearly half of the planet’s population and about a quarter of global GDP.
Unfortunately, today’s meeting is overshadowed by the conflict in the Middle East, which has resulted from an attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran.
For many years, Iran has been our common friend and a reliable partner. We sincerely hope for a full political and diplomatic resolution of the conflict, which will eliminate this source of tension in Eurasia,” he said.
Notably, Khrenin did not name the party that attacked Iran or specify who should achieve a resolution to the conflict.
Khrenin stressed that the SCO’s mission is to strengthen peace and stability through cooperation and development, and to respond promptly and effectively to 21st-century challenges.
“An important mechanism for implementing this mission is military cooperation. It contributes not only to the exchange of experience and the strengthening of professional ties, but also to the formation of a common understanding of modern security challenges. This is particularly important in combating terrorism, extremism, separatism and hybrid threats, which are becoming increasingly technologically advanced and unpredictable.
To effectively counter all destabilising factors, it is necessary not only to combat their manifestations but also to prevent them at both national and international levels. In this regard, I would like to emphasise the following,” he said.
The minister expressed support for initiatives from the Tianjin SCO summit aimed at creating a full-fledged, multi-level security system based on dialogue, mutual respect and consideration of the interests of all participants.
“We are ready to actively engage in possible programmes of action in this area, including the work of the Universal Centre for Countering Security Challenges and Threats,” Khrenin said.
He proposed deepening cooperation between armed forces within the SCO framework.
“In the current situation, coordination of actions is becoming critically important. Moreover, countries’ readiness for collective action, including the use of armed forces, serves as a strong deterrent to all destructive organisations.
In this regard, we consider it appropriate to continue the practice of holding exercises in the SCO format as an important element of military training.
The ability to conduct joint operations may play a decisive role in the event of crises within the SCO area, the resolution of which may require the use of military capabilities,” he said.
At the same time, Khrenin stressed that this does not imply the creation of a military bloc or the militarisation of the organisation.
