MPs ratify protocol to Belarus-Russia regional security agreement

MINSK, 31 May (BelTA) - The House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus of the seventh convocation adopted the bill “On the Ratification of the Protocol between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation on Amendments to the Agreement between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation on Joint Provision of Regional Security of 19 December 1997” at its ninth session on 31 May, BelTA has learned.

The bill was submitted to the House of Representatives by the Council of Ministers on 14 April. It was prepared to express agreement on the binding nature of the protocol between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation on amendments to the Agreement on Joint Provision of Regional Security in the Military Sector of 19 December 1997. The document was signed in Minsk on 3 December 2022, based on Presidential Decree No. 139 “On the Draft International Treaty” of 4 April 2019.

The protocol was developed on the basis of Article 10 of the agreement, according to which amendments and additions to the agreement may be made at the initiative of one of the parties and shall be adopted by mutual consent. The introduction of amendments in the preamble of the agreement envisaged by the Protocol in the form of a reference to the Treaty on the Development of the Union State of 8 December 1999 is conditioned by the termination of the Treaty on the Union of Belarus and Russia of 2 April 1997 with the above Treaty on the Development of the Union State (26 January 2000) entering into force. The Protocol also includes a reference to the Treaty between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation on Military Cooperation of 19 December 1997 in the preamble of the agreement, thereby legally and logically linking these international treaties with each other.

The protocol details the norms of the agreement on the regional grouping of troops (forces) of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation, providing for the possibility of deployment of formations and military units of the Russian part of this grouping and military infrastructure facilities of the Russian Federation Armed Forces, which ensure their operation. The protocol amends the agreement by emphasizing the provision of the regional grouping's functioning instead of operational, mobilization, and combat training of the command and control bodies and troops (forces) of this grouping.

On the basis of paragraph 7, part 1, Article 19 of the law “On International Treaties of the Republic of Belarus," the protocol is subject to ratification.