Government says Russian military base will worsen tensions

October 28, 2015 8:44 AM

"Placing an airbase will not reduce military and political tensions in the region. Conversely, the air base will lead to irritation towards both Minsk and Moscow," Makei told Kommersant in an interview.

Belarus says Russian military base will worsen tensions - Kommersant

Belarus sees no need to discuss placing a Russian airbase in the country as it will not help to lower tensions in the region, Belarus Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei was quoted as saying by Russia's Kommersant newspaper.

Makei was on a visit to Russia on Tuesday but the trip did not appear to have changed the Belarussian government's view on the base. Moscow wants to establish the base to counter what it sees as NATO's eastward advance.

"Placing an airbase will not reduce military and political tensions in the region. Conversely, the air base will lead to irritation towards both and ," Makei told Kommersant in an interview.

"We think there is no need to have a discussion on placing a base in Belarus."

Ben Bassey

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