Friday, January 19 2024 19:49

ArmInfo.NATO has always sought to contribute to the deepening of disagreements in the CSTO, including through Armenia. Alexey Avdonin, an analyst at the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Research (BISR) stated on January 19 at the expert platform of the Analytical Center for Strategic Studies and Initiatives (ACSSI) during an online discussion on the topic: "Foreign policy of Belarus: Minsk's priorities in the EAEU and CSTO."

According to him, the latest situation around Armenia is a vivid  example of what he said. Avdonin stated that after the Armenian  authorities refused to take part in the next CSTO summit in Minsk,  Western analysts began to aggravate this situation as a favorable  condition for sowing discord in the Organization.  The analyst added  that the West is interested in sowing discord and disagreement in the  CSTO, because they believe that under such conditions, and in the  event of an aggravation of the situation on the eastern borders of  Belarus, the Organization will not be able to help Minsk. "Therefore,  the goal of the collective West, represented by NATO, is to  contribute to sow discord and disagreement in the CSTO," the analyst  said.

"And in these realities, the CSTO is a military alliance that, in the  event of a conflict, can oppose the North Atlantic Alliance. It is no  coincidence that Belarus signed a separate agreement with CSTO. It is  to some extent a deterrent, since everyone understands the  consequences of the use of tactical nuclear weapons," - said the  analyst, who noted that it is no secret that Belarus does not have  sufficient forces and means to resist NATO forces.

According to him, thus, Belarus' participation in the CSTO is not  offensive, but defensive in nature. "This is a tool for preserving  peace and order in our region. Although,  Minsk perfectly understands  that Belarus in the form it is today is neither needed nor beneficial  to the West. They need something like today's Ukraine," Avdonin said.

At the same time, the Belarusian analyst did not give a clear answer  to the question why the CSTO countries, including Belarus, do not  show an adequate reaction to NATO's entry into the South Caucasus  through the "hands" of Azerbaijan, although they react painfully to  the emergence of the Alliance in other CIS countries.

The analyst did not touch on this topic, but only noted that the  President of Belarus communicates directly with both the leader of  Armenia and the leader of Azerbaijan. "Of course, in the current  realities, it is difficult for Belarus to maintain a balance.  However, the President of our country, Alexander Lukashenko, has  repeatedly said that he adheres to the position of maintaining  dialogue with post-Soviet countries, especially in the presence of  this global turbulence," he noted.

"The creeping nature of NATO is no secret to anyone. And all of us  post-Soviet countries are faced with the most terrible NATO ideology,  which is generated by the Anglo-Saxons. We must resist this," Avdonin  concluded.