Belarus concerned with CTBT non-commencement

Belarus’ Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei expressed a grave concern that the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) has not come into force yet. The Belarusian Foreign Minister made this statement at the 68th session of the UN General Assembly, BelTA learnt from the press service of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry.

Vladimir Makei drew attention of the international community to an important date - 20 years since Belarus joined the Non-Proliferation Treaty. He noted that by rejecting an opportunity to own nuclear weapons, voluntarily and unconditionally, Belarus sought to add momentum to the international disarmament efforts that gave hope for a safer world. “Today our expectations of the progress in nuclear disarmament are not as high as 20 years ago, and our hopes are cautious,” the Foreign Minister said.

Vladimir Makei also spoke at the ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement. He urged the NAM member states to unite efforts to prevent western countries from using the human rights agenda to exert pressure on independent states. The Belarusian Foreign Minister expressed confidence that the so-called resolutions on human rights western countries are trying to impose on the United Nations Human Rights Council or the General Assembly are primarily the instruments to promote their personal political and economic interests at the expense of the countries targeted by these resolutions.

The Foreign Minister met with President of the 68th session of the UN General Assembly John W. Ashe to discuss collaboration in the areas Belarus focused on at the ongoing session. These are the elaboration of the development plan for the period after 2015 and efforts to combat human trafficking.

Vladimir Makei held bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of Namibia, Nicaragua and Sweden to discuss the state and prospects of Belarus’ cooperation with these countries.