News for 2011

01.12.2011.
Statement by Zoya Kolontai, Charge d'Affaires a.i., on Revitalization of the General Assembly (Russian)

21.11.2011.
Statement by Zoya Kolontai, Charge d'Affaires a.i., on situation in Afghanistan on behalf of the CSTO Member States (Russian)

18.11.2011.
Information on Religion and denominations in the Republic of Belarus (Russian, English).

24.10.2011
On October 24, 2011, Belarus was elected a member of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and the main body tasked with furthering economic and social cooperation and development worldwide.

27.09.2011
Address by H.E. Sergei Martynov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, at the General Debate of the UN General Assembly's 66th session (Russian, English). Photos are available here.

27.09.2011
H.E. Sergei Martynov, Minister for Foreign Affiars of the Republic of Belarus, and H.E. Gilbert Saboya Sunye, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Principality of Andorra, signed a Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Belarus and Andorra. Photos are available here.

26.09.2011
The Republic of Belarus as a coordinator of the Group of Friends United against Human Trafficking chaired the Second Ministerial Meeting of the Group held on 26 September 2011 on the margins of the 66th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

22.09.2011
Statement by His Excellency Valentin Rybakov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Belarus on Foreign Policy, at the High-level Meeting on Nuclear Safety and Security (Russian, English).

20.09.2011
Belarus’ approaches to the major issues of the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly (English).

15.09.2011
Press Secretary Andrei Savinykh comments on the allegations in some Internet media that Belarus acted in violation of the UN sanctions against Iran:

Belarus has always treated the resolutions of the UN Security Council most seriously and has never violated the existing sanctions; the UN Secretariat knows it full well. This statement was made by Andrei Savinykh, Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of Belarus, as he commented on the allegations in some Internet media that Belarus acted as an intermediary to supply Iran with equipment for nuclear industry and ballistic missiles in violation of the UN sanctions against Iran.
At the beginning of September, Belarus provided exhaustive information on the issue to a visiting group of UN experts, Andrei Savinykh informed. They confirmed that Belarus fulfilled all international commitments. “Thus, all the publications claiming the opposite should be treated as a falsification. They have nothing to do with reality. It is another awkward attempt of our ill-wishers to cast a shadow on Belarus’ reputation,” the Foreign Ministry representative said.

14.09.2011
On September 13 the 66th regular session of the UN General Assembly opened at the UN headquarters in New York.
The agenda of the session includes almost 170 items. A key issue of the session will be elaboration of coordinated steps of the international community towards overcoming the global financial crisis, including measures to improve the international financial system. Agenda also icludes discussion of the ways to strengthen the UN role in prevention and settlement of local armed conflicts, which pose a threat to international peace and security. In addition, the discussion will touch upon the issues of preparation for the forthcoming 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, as well as implementation during the following year of the activities within the framework of the International Year for Sustainable Energy for All, proclaimed by the UN General Assembly.
In the initial period of the session a number of thematic events will take place, including high-level meeting on nuclear safety and security, as well as the Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
The Governmental delegation of the Republic of Belarus at the UN General Assembly 66th Session will be headed by the Foreign Minister of Belarus Sergei Martynov. The priority for the Belarusian delegation at the session are advancing foreign policy initiatives in the area of strengthening international efforts to combat human trafficking, creation of an effective international mechanism to increase access to technology, new and renewable sources of energy for developing countries and countries with economies in transition, to strengthen international support for the development efforts of middle-income states, as well as promoting the prosperity of the future generations.
The Group of Friends, united in the fight against human trafficking will hold a second ministerial meeting on September 26 at the initiative of Belarus.
The Belarusian delegation will also participate at the informal ministerial meeting of the CSTO member states, which will be held on September 26 under the chairmanship of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Sergei Martynov.
The schedule of the head of the Belarusian delegation at the session includes the meetings with the leadership of the UN Secretariat and with the foreign ministers of several countries.

26.07.2011
Statement by Uladzimir Shchastny, Chairman of Belarus' National Commission for UNESCO, Ambassador at large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, at the High-Level Meeting of the sixty-fifth session of the General Assembly on Youth (Russian and English).

24.06.2011.
The Republic of Belarus as a coordinator of the Group of Friends United against Human Trafficking initiated the meeting of the Group with the United Nations agencies and international organisations most active in the fight against trafficking in persons. The meeting entitled “Enhancing Coordination of Efforts in Global Fight against Trafficking in Persons” was held in the UN Headquarters, New York.
The Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Y.Fedotov took an active part in the above-mentioned meeting. Other panelists included the representatives of IOM, INTERPOL, UNICEF and UNESCO. For photos please click here.

08.06.2011.
Ministry of Education of Belarus in cooperation with the National Center for Artistic Creativity of Children and Youth organizes the Third International Children's Painting Competition "Children’s friendship around the globe". The competition is open to children aged 6 to 16 years. Pictorial and graphic works of the contestants, made using different techniques and art materials will be accepted by the National Center for Artistic Creativity of Children and Youth till September 10, 2011. The terms and conditions of participation are available in Russian and English.

06.06.2011.
Statement by Dr. Zoya Kolontai, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Belarus to the United Nations, at the Annual 2011 session of the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme, of the United Nations Population Fund and of the United Nations Office for Project Services (Russian).

13.05.2011.
Statement by Vladimir Gerasimovich, Head of the International Security and Arm Control Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, at the open-ended Meeting of Governmental Experts on the Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (Russian).

26 April 2011.
The Delegation of the Republic of Belarus, headed by the Assistant to the President of the Republic of Belarus on foreign policy Mr. Valentin Rybakov, took part in the commemorative events in the UN Headquarters to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophe.
During the special commemorative ceremony in memory of heroes and victims of the Chernobyl disaster Mr. Valentin Rybakov stroke the Peace Bell.
At the special commemorative meeting of the UN General Assembly in observance of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophe Mr. Valentin Rybakov delivered the Address by His Excellency Alyaksandr Lukashenka, President of the Republic of Belarus, to the United Nations General Assembly (Russian, English). Photos are available here.

25 April 2011.
Charge d’Affaires of the Republic of Belarus Dr. Zoya Kolontai took part in the opening ceremony of the photo exhibition “25 years after Chernobyl: Cooperation for Sustainable Development”, prepared by the Permanent Missions of the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine to the United Nations with the support of the United Nations Development Programme.

21 April 2011.
President Alexander Lukashenko delivered the State of the Nation Address to the Belarusian People and National Assembly.
The main theme of the Address was "Enterprise, Initiative and Responsibility of Every Individual – a Worthy Future for the Nation".
The President delivered the Address in the Oval Hall of the House of Government. Invited to the event were top government officials, members of the Government, heads of state administration bodies, directors of the biggest companies, representatives of the diplomatic corps and mass media agencies.
In the Address, the President explained the nation's near-term economic and social objectives in a new environment. The Head of State touched upon Belarus' foreign policy, reaffirmed its multi-directed nature. The Belarusian Leader also identified the objectives of the Parliament, gave orders to develop new approaches to administration, talked about the enforcement of the order and consolidation of the society.
The full text of the Address will be published in the newspaper Sovietskaya Belarus and at the Internet portal of the President of the Republic of Belarus at www.president.gov.by.

19 April 2011.
Article “Global Development: Сan It Ever Succeed?” by Alyaksandr Sychov, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Belarus to the international organizations in Vienna, published by “Globality Studies Journal” (English).

15 April 2011.
Press Secretary Andrei Savinykh comments on Associated Press reference to the statement by the head of the UN Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries Jose del Prado (English, Russian)

14 April 2011.
The Security Council adopted a press statement (English, Russian) in which condemned the apparent terrorist attack that occurred in Minsk, Republic of Belarus, on 11 April 2011, and expressed deep sympathy and condolences to the victims of this heinous act and to their families, and to the people and Government of the Republic of Belarus.
The words of condolence and support were also recieved form the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Administrator of the UNDP.
Also, representatives of Permanent and Observers Missions to the UN signed a Book of Condolence at the Permanent Mission of Belarus and expressed their support and sympathy for the victims of terrorist act on 11 April 2011 in Minsk, Belarus.

13 April 2011.
Information about charitable accounts opened by the Minsk City Executive Committee and BELINVESTBANK for the victims of terrorist act on 11 April 2011 is availiable here.

12 April 2011.
Dr. Zoya Kolontai, Charge d'Affairs a.i. of the Republic of Belarus to the United Nations and H.E. Mr. Rodney Charles, Ambassador Extraordianry and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations, on April 12, 2011, signed a Joint Communique on establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
The Parties reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of the United Nations and of international law, including the sovereign equality of States, territorial integrity, non-interference in the internal affairs of another State, and have decided to establish diplomatic relations at the Ambassadorial level, on a non-residential basis, as of the date of the signing of the Joint Communique.

7 April 2011.
Statement by Dr. Zoya Kolontai, Charge d'Affairs a.i. of the Republic of Belarus to the United Nations, at the General Assembly meeting on International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space (Russian).

6 April 2011.
On 5 April, the Foreign Ministry held a briefing entitled «Nuclear Energy for the Republic of Belarus: Realities and Prospects» for the diplomatic and consular corps accredited in the Republic of Belarus. Those in attendance were senior officials from the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Department for Nuclear and Radiation Safety of the Ministry of Emergencies as well as representatives of the Directorate for the Construction of the Nuclear Power Station and Combined Institute of Energy and Nuclear Studies Sosny of the National Academy of Sciences.
The representatives of the governmental bodies briefed the audience about the practical experience amassed by our country in studying and using nuclear energy.

The officials of the diplomatic and consular corps were advised in detail of the reasons why the nuclear power programme is implemented, what it means for the Belarusian economy and what the agreements with the Russian Federation are with regard to the construction of the nuclear station. The Belarusian side informed diplomats of Belarus fulfillment of its commitments under the ESPO Convention, measures undertaken by the Belarusian side to meet safety requirements in the Belarusian nuclear power station, taking into account inter alia experience obtained from the monitoring of the liquidation at Fukushima-1.

Focus was made on the indisputable priority of keeping the Belarusian nuclear power station safe and making sure that the Republic of Belarus honours its international environmental commitments in the cross-border context.

7 March 2011.
Interview by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to "The Washington Post" (Russian).

3 March 2011.
MFA Press Secretary Andrei Savinykh comments on UN official apologies:

We are satisfied with apologies made by the UN senior officials sent to the Belarusian side by an official note and voiced on 2 March in the course of a briefing by Deputy Secretary General of the UN.
We are ready to consider the reported false accusations of the Republic of Belarus of the breach of Security Council sanctions as an accidental and unintentional mistake.
We also hope that such mistakes will be ruled out in future.
The Republic of Belarus considers the UN Security Council as a key element in the global system of international security. We are ready to do everything in our power to strengthen the role of this body of the United Nations and implement all of its decisions without fail.

Verbal note by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations sent to the Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Belarus
Unofficial translation (Russian) of the Verbal note by the UN DPKO

28 February 2011.
Press Release on the issue of the alleged military shipments to Côte d'Ivoire.

28 February 2011.
MFA Press Secretary Andrei Savinykh comments on the intense spread of misleading insinuations about Belarus:

We have taken note of an intense spread of misleading concoctions about Belarus run by foreign media in the recent days. There was a fib of Belarusian mercenaries in Libya first, then of a plane landed in Minsk with gold and diamonds aboard from Libya, today accusations of a mythical breach of UN Security Council’s sanctions have been orchestrated.
All those statements are not compliant with reality. In fact, a destructive information attack has been staged against Belarus, with a view to discrediting the country.
A major weapon of Belarus’ enemies is lies and defamation. This is just another proof of their morality and demonstrates their true attitudes towards Belarus and Belarusian people.
All those efforts are doomed to failure.

28 February 2011.
MFA Press Secretary Andrei Savinykh comments on Cote d'Ivoire-related statement:

We are concerned at the reports of a statement accusing Belarus erroneously of the arms supply to Cote d'Ivoire. We have taken note of the odd title to the material on the UN website, namely, Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on Cote d'Ivoire.
There should be an inquiry into how this material ended up on the UN website. Perhaps, it has nothing to do with the Secretary General’s Office.
The Republic of Belarus has always regarded UN Security Council’s decisions very responsibly.
There is an efficient system of arms export control created in Belarus.

22 February 2011.
Statement by Dr. Zoya Kolontai, Charge d'Affairs a.i., at the High-Level Round Table on “Access and participation of women and girls in education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women’s equal access to full employment and decent work”, held within the framework of the 55-th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. (Russian)

15 February 2011.
Interview by Andrei N. Popkov, Deputy Head of Directorate General on Treaties and Legal Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, to the UN-radio on the work of UNCITRAL.

9 February 2011.
Research Institute of Fire Safety of the Ministry on Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus invites to participate in VI International Scientific and Practical Conference "Emergency Situations: Prevention and Elimination", which will be held in Minsk on June 8-9, 2011. The Application for participation is available here.

9 February 2011.
Joint Statement of the Heads of States of the Collective Security Treaty Organization on drugs trafficking from Afghanistan (Russian).

26 January 2011.
Statement by Deputy Permanent Representative Dr. Zoya Kolontai at the Meeting of the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Chernobyl on behalf of the Permanent Missions of the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine to the UN (English) and photos from the event.

14 January 2011.
Interview of BelarusForeign Minister Sergei Martynov to the "Security Index" magazine on security policy and UN-related issues. (Russian)

1 January 2011.
Summary of Directive No. 4 “On the Development of Entrepreneurial Initiative and Encouraging Business Activity in the Republic of Belarus” signed by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko. (Russian, English)

1 January 2011.
New Year's Greetings from President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko. (Russian, Belarussian, English)