External Security Strategies of Belarus

Krystyna Gomółka

doi:10.17951/k.2020.27.2.75-89

Abstract

Under President Lukashenko, three Belarusian national security strategies have been announced: the first in 1995, the second in 2001 and the third in 2011. The first proposal, formulated after Lukashenko’ victory in the presidential elections in 1994, outlined Belarus as a neutral state, unbound to any military block in the absence of external enemies. The direction of the foreign policy pursued by the president of Belarus was reflected in the second strategy, where security against NATO and EU member states was sought in a federal state with the Russian Federation. Under the third national security scheme Belarus was to remain in Russia’s military security system. Nevertheless, an important security factor was considered to be the modernisation of the economy with foreign capital participation and the need to diversify the supplies of fuels, thus reducing the country’s dependence on its earlier partner. The subsequently issued documents: the military doctrine of the State, whose assumptions were published on 20 July 2016, and the Concept of security of the Belarusian state borders for the period 2018–2022, prioritised further development of relations with the Russian Federation and the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation. A new element of the 2019 defence plan is the prevention of external aggression and internal disturbance that contribute to the destabilisation of the state.

Highlights

The Republic of Belarus covers an area of 207,595 km2 and has a population of 9,451,000
The author formulated the following auxiliary questions: 1) How was external security perceived in the first strategy?; 2) What changes in the security concept were introduced in the second document?; 3) Who ensured the external security of Belarus according to the third strategy, published in 2011?
Ensuring the external security of the state requires the collection of information on threats, decision-making, control over the activities of governmental bodies in the field of safety and keeping the population informed of any national security issues [Ukaz Prezidenta Respubliki Belarusot 17 iûlâ 2001 goda no. 390 «Ob utverždenii Koncepcii nacionalnoj bezopasnosti Respubliki Belarus»]

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The Republic of Belarus covers an area of 207,595 km and has a population of 9,451,000. The main threats to the state security identified in the document were: 1) the establishment or extension of military and political alliances whose activity may harm Belarus; 2) the use of or threat to use force to resolve territorial conflicts; 3) activity of foreign services and organisations aiming to compromise the national interests of the Republic of Belarus; 4) uncontrolled dissemination of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and its transit across the country’s territory; 5) efforts that exacerbate the socio-political and social conflicts; 6) increased corruption and crime rate [Ukaz Prezidenta Respubliki Belarusot 17 iûlâ 2001 goda no. Ensuring the external security of the state requires the collection of information on threats, decision-making, control over the activities of governmental bodies in the field of safety and keeping the population informed of any national security issues [Ukaz Prezidenta Respubliki Belarusot 17 iûlâ 2001 goda no. National security was associated with the construction of a common defence space with Russia in the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation [Kuznecova 2011: 115–116]

THE THIRD SECURITY CONCEPT

Findings

CONCLUSIONS