Lukashenko wants updated national security concept to be ‘absolutely overt’

The updated version of Belarus’ national security concept should be absolutely overt, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Aleksandr Volfovich on 20 September, BelTA has learned.

“Before we discuss it at the Security Council I would like to ask you to make sure that the document is absolutely overt. There is no need to conceal anything pursuing some political or even economic motives. We must honestly describe the existing risks, threats, and our response to them, so that our neighbors and others know how we will react and will not say that it was a surprise for them. Do not hide anything. Everything must be done candidly,” the Belarusian leader stressed.

“If we are with Russia, we should act accordingly. We have created a defense space, we actually have a common armed force (our army is on the cutting edge). A regional grouping is in operation. No one there should criticize us, make fakes, or make extraordinary statements about Lukashenko and Russian troops, and so on. And what is so surprising about it? We announced this a long time ago. It has probably been 20 years since we agreed on this,” the president said.

“We must clearly spell everything out so that everyone, especially our society, knows in advance how we will defend ourselves, how we will fight off, how we will act,” the head of state added.

Speaking about the need to update the concept, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that the situation is changing. “You know and understand this better than I do as you were involved in the preparation of the previous concepts. Where are we now with the new edition of the national security concept?” he asked.