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Lavrov says Russian airbase in Belarus no threat to Europe
May 11, 2013 - 13:07 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday,
May 10, that possible establishment of a Russian airbase in Belarus
should not be seen as a response to U.S. missile defense plans in
Europe, according to RIA Novosti.
`I see no reasons to worry about this issue,' Lavrov said at a press
conference with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and his
Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski in Warsaw.
The foreign minister said Russia and Belarus are a `unified military
space,' adding: `No matter if there are Belarusian or Russian planes
there, nothing will change... We are protecting our border [the border
of the Union State of Russia and Belarus].'
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said last month Russia plans to
base fighter jets at a military airbase in Belarus, with a first wing
due to arrive there later this year. `We hope that an Air Force
regiment will be here by 2015 to protect our borders,' he said.
Belarus borders NATO nations Poland, Latvia and Lithuania. NATO
nations now fly combat air patrols from the Baltic states close to
Russian airspace, an issue that has previously been viewed with
concern in Moscow.
May 11, 2013 - 13:07 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday,
May 10, that possible establishment of a Russian airbase in Belarus
should not be seen as a response to U.S. missile defense plans in
Europe, according to RIA Novosti.
`I see no reasons to worry about this issue,' Lavrov said at a press
conference with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and his
Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski in Warsaw.
The foreign minister said Russia and Belarus are a `unified military
space,' adding: `No matter if there are Belarusian or Russian planes
there, nothing will change... We are protecting our border [the border
of the Union State of Russia and Belarus].'
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said last month Russia plans to
base fighter jets at a military airbase in Belarus, with a first wing
due to arrive there later this year. `We hope that an Air Force
regiment will be here by 2015 to protect our borders,' he said.
Belarus borders NATO nations Poland, Latvia and Lithuania. NATO
nations now fly combat air patrols from the Baltic states close to
Russian airspace, an issue that has previously been viewed with
concern in Moscow.