Council of the Republic called on international parliamentary structures to abandon destructive initiatives

The Presidium of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus has made a statement in connection with the adoption of the resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)

The statement reads that the Presidium of the Council of the Republic strongly condemns the adoption of the biased resolution Legal and Human Rights Aspects of the Russian Federation’s Aggression Against Ukraine by PACE and the inclusion of unfounded accusations against Belarus into this document.

"We categorically reject these accusations. The resolution completely distorts the essence of the conflict in Ukraine and misleads the international community about the roles of the parties involved in it. Belarus and its people – who throughout their history have been at the epicentre of devastating wars that sowed death, suffering and destruction – know the value of peace, like no one else. Our country has always been a peace-loving state, and it is developing friendly relations with all countries and peoples. This aspiration is confirmed, among other things, by specific initiatives of Belarus and its contribution to the maintenance of peace and security. The PACE resolution shamelessly suppresses the facts of the endless supply of heavy and lethal weapons – including those prohibited for use by the relevant norms of international law – by the countries of the collective West to Ukraine. This document is insignificant in its essence, since it does not demonstrate attempts to find solutions to the conflict in Ukraine, it does not call for the intensification of political and diplomatic efforts to achieve peace as soon as possible," the statement reads.

The Presidium members noted with concern that PACE is increasingly transforming from a platform for inter-parliamentary co-operation into a political instrument that creates new dividing barriers and deepens the crisis of trust in interstate relations.

"Today, when the world is facing new challenges and threats – especially in the field of international security, the role and responsibility of parliamentarians are multiplying. We call on international parliamentary structures to abandon destructive initiatives and focus their efforts on promoting equal and mutually respectful inter–parliamentary dialogue in order to de-escalate international tensions and promote peace and harmony in international relations for the benefit of the future of all mankind," the Belarusian MPs noted.