International Military Cooperation Issues

On 12-13 May, Chief of the International Military Cooperation Department, Assistant to the Defence Minister for Foreign Military Policy Major General Oleg Voinov visited the headquarters of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in Naqoura under the 2016 international military cooperation plan. The Belarusian delegation included Alexander Ponomarev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Syria and concurrently Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Lebanon and Jordan.

The head of the delegation met with the mission leadership and UNIFIL’s Sector West Commander Brigadier General Arturo Nitti. The parties discussed the current situation in the UN’s zone of responsibility in southern Lebanon, as well as prospects for extending the Belarusian participation in peacekeeping missions. In addition, the Belarusian delegation visited the Lebanese Defence Ministry where they met with Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces General Jean Kahwaji and his deputies. The parties discussed establishing bilateral military cooperation.