BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Personnel at Belarus’ diplomatic mission to NATO will have restricted access to the alliance’s headquarters following the forced landing of a passenger plane by Minsk, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday.
“We have decided to restrict the access of Belarusian personnel to the NATO headquarters,” Stoltenberg told a news conference, without giving more details. NATO and Belarus have had ties since 1992 and the country has had a diplomatic mission to NATO since April 1998.
Asked about new Russian military formations and units, intended to be deployed close to the alliance’s borders, Stoltenberg said NATO would continue to seek dialogue with Moscow, while also exercising troops for defensive purposes.
(Reporting by Robin Emmott and Sabine Siebold)
