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Belarus: Whether troops were sent to Chechnya (1996 to 1998)

Several sources indicate that Belarus has not sent troops to Chechnya. A brief chronology follows.

Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States 1997 states that the Belarus Supreme Council authorized in April 1993 the signing of the May 1992 Treaty on Collective Security, on the conditions "that Belarusian troops could not serve outside the country and that no foreign troops could be stationed in Belarus without the consent of the government" (1996, 183). CTK reported on 6 April 1996 that President Lukashenko had affirmed that Belarusian forces would not go to Chechnya and Jane's Intelligence Review reported in June 1996 that Defence Minister Army General Leonid Maltsev had stated that Belarusian troops would not take part in any peacekeeping functions (248). Jane's also reported that "Belarus has consistently rejected participation in military operations beyond its borders, even within the framework of CIS Collective Security, for which Belarus has declared its support in the past." (ibid.) Although two sources indicated the time for final withdrawal of all Russian troops from Chechnya as the end of January 1997 (EIU 4 Dec. 1996; Reuters 23 Dec. 1996), on 26 June 1997 President Lukashenka once again stated that "Belarusian soldiers will not go to Tajikstan or Chechnya." (Interfax)

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Czech News Agency (CTK). 6 April 1996. "Lukashenko Reaffirms Rejection of NATO Expansion." (NEXIS)

Eastern Europe and the Commnwealth of Independent States 1997. 1996. 3rd ed. London: Europa Publications.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). 4 December. 1996. "East Europe Politics: Pressure Mounts on Serbian, Croatian Leaders." (NEXIS)

Interfax [Moscow, in English]. 26 June 1997. "President Lukashenka Denies Powers Increased, Says Belarus Not a Burden On Russia." (BBC Summary 27 June 1997/NEXIS)

Jane's Intelligence Review [Surrey, UK]. June 1996. Vol. 8, No. 6. Richard Woff. "Minsk: Making Limited Progress With Reform."

Reuters. 23 December 1996. "Monday, January 13." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

East European Constitutional Review [Chicago]. 1996-1998.

The Europa World Year Book 1996-1998. 1996-1998.

Jane's Intelligence Review [Surrey, UK]. December 1995 to February 1998.

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge].

Resource Centre. Belarus country file. 1996 to present.

Transitions: Changes in Post-Communist Societies [Prague]. 1997-1998.

Electronic sources: IRB Databases, LEXIS/NEXIS, Internet, REFWORLD, World News Connection (WNC).