After the meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs German Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere has decided to close of the military attache’s office at the German embassy in Belarus. On December 2, all members of the office’s staff were recalled from Minsk. German authorities consider further military cooperation with Lukashenka’s regime impossible, taking into account numerous violations of human rights and practice of torture in our country.
The decision of termination of the attache’s mission were preceded by diplomatic steps on the both countries’ sides. In September 2012 the German government stated the absence of positive change on the Belarusian political stage along with pressure against dissent and limited military cooperation. In his turn, Minsk put an and to the cooperation in military issues with the German army.
Established in 1993, the military attache’s office monitored the development and reform of the Belarusian army and its cooperation with the armed forces of other countries and international security organizations, including the CIS, NATO, the OSCE and the United Nations. The office also provided the Belarusian defense ministry with information on military issues relating to Germany.
The Belarusian side’s comment: “It’s absurdity!”
Andrey Savinykh, spokesperson for the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commented on the German military attache’s withdrawal. The top official called it “an artificial step” that is out of accord with all European attempts to enhance security. According to Savinykh, such decision is determined by the intensification of political struggle between German parties.
“Preoccupied with party maneuvers, German politicians lose common sense and make absurd decisions. In this context the Minister of Defence can be only pitied because as you know, absurdity does not have borders,” he said.
Belsat
