Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have activated the Vienna Document risk reduction mechanism against Belarus, RFE/RL correspondent Rikard Jozwiak reports.
The 2011 Vienna Document on Confidence and Security-Building Measures provides that countries inform each other about military activities if they involve 9,000 or more people, including those who support the military. According to the document, an OSCE Member State concerned about unusual military activities has the right to send a clarification request to the state where these activities take place. The answer should be given within 48 hours and should contain answers to the questions raised and other information.
Thus, Belarus has 48 hours to respond.
Earlier, Sergei Shoigu, the Minister of Defense of Russia, said that the number of participants in the «Union Resolve –2022» exercise would not exceed the parameters established by the Vienna Document. The Financial Times wrote that Macron and Putin discussed the withdrawal of Russian troops from Belarus after the drills, while the number of 30,000 Russian troops appeared.
Source: Reform.by
