Belarus has joined the Board of Peace initiated by the American leader Donald Trump, and Vadim Gigin, a member of the House of Representatives, explained why this move meets Belarus’ national interests
In his talk with SB TV and Alfa Radio, the MP drew attention to the fact that the proposal for Belarus to join the new organisation had been made in an exceptionally respectful manner, “Our republic became the first country to join. Taking a different position would have seem rude when proposals are made in such a polite manner, emphasising both the role of Belarus and the authority of its President – and that’s not our style. Belarus has always played a primary role in the perception of major international organisations: it’s a kind of destiny.”
The expert recalled that the BSSR was among the UN founders in 1945, although the republic’s status was rather small within the Soviet Union. Now Belarus is once again acting as a locomotive of dialogue.
“Let’s recall the Commonwealth of Independent States that was created on the Belarusian land, the CIS headquarters is located in Minsk. Belarus has always advocated the creation of platforms where it is possible to talk rather than fight, engage in confrontation or close borders. Therefore, if such a platform arises, Belarus will support it,” Mr. Gigin stressed.
The MP noted that the Board of Peace idea grew out of the need to resolve the grave humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, “Moreover, it received an approval from the UN Security Council, which was an important point. In addition, there is an opportunity to maintain contact with a number of other states within the framework of the new organisation’s activities. Diplomacy is the art of using all opportunities to defend one’s interests, and this primarily applies to Belarusian diplomacy. Probably, during the negotiations between the Head of State and the American delegations, the issue of creating such a structure was also discussed in the context of resolving the conflict in Ukraine.”
Speaking about the future interaction between the Board of Peace and the United Nations, Mr. Gigin noted, “If Trump does not use the Board of Peace to torpedo the UN (for now he says he will not), then it can become a platform where decisions are developed, which will then be submitted to the UN Security Council on the basis of consensus. As regards the Gaza Strip, the interaction is clearly spelled out: the territory becomes subordinate to the Board of Peace for the implementation of the peace regulation programme.”