Zianon Pazniak: Occupation Of Belarus, Suwalki Gap Looks Possible

Only the Belarusians will take decision in a situation which will occur in connection with the West-2017 military exercises.

Belarusian politician Zianon Pazniak spoke about the West-2017 military exercises in Brooklyn. Belsat TV published the politician’s speech:

— Back in 2015, when Russia and Ukraine were at war, I told Belarus might be the next target and that we should prepare in advance. That is why, only the Belarusian people will take decisions in the situation that might occur. The behaviour of the Belarusians will determine the reaction of the international community, and the possible result.

The Yalta peace does not exist anymore, Putin squelched it , the Helsinki agreements have also been squelched. We have an absolutely different world today, and even the agreements which exist in the NATO and everywhere have no force as a war could start any second, and the decision will have to be taken in several minutes.

There is a whole procedure at the UN, how to organize a rebuff, a collective thought and so on. This will not happen. And this new situation that has been formed is so serious that people do not realize it, many still live in the world that once was, but it has changed a lot.

Therefore, the occupation of Belarus, of the Suwalki gap looks possible. This is not a fantasy, it all can happen, because if before the occupation of the Donbas and the Crimea something similar was said, then no one would have believed - but nevertheless, it happened.

Today's events show that, in fact, from the legal point of view of international and constitutional law, a hybrid occupation of Belarus has begun, it is already underway. The exercises West-2017 and the previous exercises were substantiated by political agreements and decisions. There are no grounds for such exercises from the constitutional, legal point of view, and from the point of view of the international law.

There can be no foreign soldiers and foreign armored vehicles on our territory. This is violence against sovereignty.

What is it based on for Putin and for Lukashenka? They concluded the so-called "union state". Nobody in the world acknowledged this state and no one seriously takes it, it does not really exist. It violates all the Constitutions - both those that we had, and the one that exists. This is absolutely illegal.

Lukashenka is 23 years in power — what kind of president is this? It's an usurper! But he has the power, support of Russia, and de facto is perceived as power. But this is illegal government: this illegal "parliament", this "president", and this whole policy.

And politically, Lukashenka and Putin do what they want, they do not ask the opinion of the Belarusian people and the international community, they refer to this illegal agreement and introduce troops into Belarus.