Deputy Minister Igor Sekreta: Belarus and Its Vision for Eurasian Security

Mr Igor Sekreta, Belarus’ Deputy Foreign Minister at the United Nations in Vienna. (Photo: WAJ)

Rethinking Eurasian Security

WAJ: What is the thinking of Belarus in creating a new security and cooperation arrangement in Eurasia?

Mr Igor Sekreta, Belarus’ Deputy Minister: The idea has emerged from the current situation, when we see that the former mechanisms of international cooperation are not working. The legal base, legal framework, which was helping to provide peace and security in the region, are not effective.

We've designed, we've invented an idea to organize our own, one-time conference, three years ago. And we've seen a large support and interest to that. Nevertheless, the situation in the region is far from being stable.

Expanding the Scope: This year, that was the third conference, it gained more than 700 participants from many countries. What is interesting this year is that we've enhanced and broadened the participation. We've realized that Europe is too small regionally too small for our event. We've made it Europe Plus, and then we expanded it for the Eurasian.

Eurasian Security: We are talking about not about the European security but about the Eurasian security, which allows us to bring participants from China, for example, from your country, from different countries of the former Soviet Union, Central Asia. And, well, they did that, and that was very interesting.

WAJ: Could you share a few words about the Minsk Eurasian Security and Conference?

Mr. Igor Sekreta, Belarus’ Deputy Minister: Another interesting thing, as I mentioned today already, that it is an event for unlike-minded countries, unlike-minded participants.

Engaging Disagreeing Parties: They blamed us in on the West that we gather people who agree with us. But we are eager today, especially, to meet with people and interact with people who disagree, because due to that, we have more understanding of their motive.

Commitment to Peace: We try to persuade them, we show what is going on in our country, and we are very much committed to reaching a stable agreement, a stable peace in the region, meaning the Ukraine. But, well, you know that there are more than 50 active conflicts in the world at the moment.

Belarus's Role: The war in Ukraine is, we are very sensitive about this war in Ukraine, because we are a neighboring country with Russia and Ukraine, both. And you will not find in the region the country and the actor who is more interested in a long-standing and stable peace than Belarus.

WAJ: And what is your view, as Belarus’ Deputy Foreign Minister, on the idea of adopting a Eurasian Charter of Diversity and Multipolarity?

Mr. Igor Sekreta, Belarus’ Deputy Minister:  Regarding the idea of the Charter of Multipolarity and Diversity in the 21st Century:

Open Process: It's not a final document. The idea is about starting the same process as they had in the early 70s, elaborating the Helsinki Final Act.

Negotiation and International Norms: The document that we see eventually will come from those elaborations when we ease tensions, when we try to persuade each other that without certain standards, certain international norms, we will not get to to get the guarantees that will provide us for for the long-standing peace in the region.

Open Format: This is the idea, and it is an open format. Anyone could contribute to that and to get as much support as we can.

First IAEA AI & Nuclear Energy Symposium at the UN in Vienna. (Photo: WAJ)

Belarus–Vietnam Relations

WAJ: Could you please share your views on the relationship between Belarus and Vietnam?

Mr Igor Sekreta, Belarus’ Deputy Minister: I'm happy to announce, and you know that, that we've started the air communication with your country.

Tourism: We bring regularly tourists to your country to to have rest, because we are now limited in traveling to the Europe. Belavia is making charter flights to Vietnam, to China, to Indonesia, to Oman, to many other destinations.

Visitor Feedback: As far as I know, many people who visited Vietnam who who got the holidays, they are very happy and they want to visit your country again and again.

WAJ: Have you ever visited Vietnam ?

Mr Igor Sekreta, Belarus’ Deputy Minister: No. As a diplomat, I'm building the bridges, but you know the diplomats are using the bridges as the last ones. So I do hope that one day I will I will use and will be persuaded as my my compatriots that Vietnam is the best place on Earth to have holidays.

WAJ: Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I have also written a book, which includes President Vladimir Putin, as I have had the opportunity to cover him twice in my journalism work

Mr Igor Sekreta, Belarus’ Deputy Minister: Congratulations!

Mr Igor Sekreta, Belarus’ Deputy Foreign Minister, during an exclusive WAJ interview at the United Nations in Vienna. (Photo: WAJ)

WAJ: My professor once studied in Russia, and in any case, we hold the Russian people in great esteem

Mr Igor Sekreta, Belarus’ Deputy Minister: We invite you to visit Belarus. If you want to see more things, if you want to talk to people, if you want to communicate with the interesting analysts, scientists, you are most welcome. And the next conference, you remember, next conference will take place in Minsk at the end of October (2026). Eventually, you will get an invitation. We'll keep in touch.

WAJ: We sincerely thank you for participating in this interview.

UN, 5/12/2025