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© 2017 AFP / Timothy A. Clary
The Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking Thursday at the UN General Assembly, called welcome the statement of the President of the United States Donald trump about the importance of respecting the sovereignty of States. In his speech Lavrov made no mention about the size of the military budget of Russia, accuse or threaten any countries and prefer to talk about common to all member States of the UN values: equality, international cooperation against common challenges and threats.
At the end of his speech, the Russian foreign Minister recalled the words of Roman philosopher Seneca that “we were born to live together”.
Response to Trump and an example of North Korea and Iran
Speech of Russian foreign Minister to the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly lasted about 19 minutes, less than half said Tuesday the President of the United States Donald trump. Speaking of which, the Russian Minister recalled at the beginning of his speech, noting trump’s words on the need to respect sovereignty in international relations.
The Minister recalled that in December last year the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on promoting a democratic world order, which clearly stated the non-recognition of haspreview as a method of change of power and the inadmissibility of attempts of some States to exert pressure on other members of the international community. Then, as the Minister said, this document is not voted as the country that despite the UN Charter “are trying to dominate global Affairs and to impose development models”.
“But the world does not stand still. It is encouraging that the President of the United States Donald trump the day before yesterday from this podium, clearly stated the importance of observing the principles of sovereignty in international Affairs, that should provide leadership by example and not dictate to other Nations”, — said Lavrov.
“I think these words can sign each. Especially if US foreign policy will be carried out on this basis”, — said Lavrov.
He further on the example of Iran and North Korea have demonstrated that while Washington is not ready to implement their own Declaration.
“Dangerous confrontation spins a spiral around the DPRK. Strongly condemn missile and nuclear adventurism by Pyongyang in violation of UN security Council resolutions. But the intensification of the military hysteria is not just a dead-end and destructive path. All UNSC resolutions must be done, no doubt, but they, along with the sanctions contain provisions on the need to return to negotiations,” Lavrov said, commenting on the U.S. position on the North Korean problem.
He stressed that “the alternative to political and diplomatic methods of settling the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue between all stakeholders does not exist.
The viciousness of the sanctions approach in the United States against other States proved as the example of Cuba, and the situation around the nuclear deal with Iran. Washington’s actions could lead to the breakdown of the agreement, which was to stop a potential global conflict, Lavrov recalled.
“The use of unilateral sanctions beyond those that enters the UN security Council, is illegitimate and undermines the collective nature of the international efforts,” he said.
Lavrov said that “today, all anxiously watching as you enter the US, all new unilateral restrictii against Iran, and even extraterritorial nature, jeopardize the implementation of the Joint comprehensive plan of action (FDP), who became one of the most important factors for regional and international stability.”
NATO aims to recreate the climate of the cold war
Lavrov reminded that in international Affairs Russia has always adhered to the principles of equality and mutual respect in international relations, “and will continue to defend them”.
“Over the past quarter century, our country, despite the challenges, honestly has done its part of the way to eliminate the cold war legacy,” said Lavrov.
“It is, however, not met with reciprocity from our Western partners, is still trying to adapt to today’s realities rudimentary institutions of the era of bloc confrontation. NATO aims to recreate the climate of the cold war”, — concluded the Russian foreign Minister.
The West’s policy of “uncontrolled expansion” of NATO to the East has led, in particular, to instability in the post-Soviet space and promote anti-Russian sentiment.
“It is the policy roots of the protracted conflict in the South-East of Ukraine”, — the Minister added.
Russia hopes for partnership with the EU and US peacekeepers in the Donbass
Assessing the prospects for a Ukrainian settlement — the Central theme of all three speeches last year, — Lavrov stated Kiev is inventing new tricks in order not to fulfill the Minsk agreements. But even in such conditions, in his words, Moscow aims “to work constructively, the search for generally acceptable ways to implement the Minsk agreements”.
In this context it is necessary to consider the Russian proposal about the possibility of sending in the Donbass UN peacekeeping mission for the protection of the OSCE mission.
“We hope that the Russian proposal will help resolve the internal Ukrainian crisis,” — said the Russian Minister. He expressed hope that “constructive cooperation in these matters,” with partners both in Europe and in the United States.
While Lavrov drew attention that discuss the whole idea of the reform of UN peacekeeping requires a careful approach.
Astana-6 opened the way for political dialogue in Syria
Speaking from the rostrum of the 71st session of the General Assembly of the world organization, Lavrov touched upon the subject of the liberation of Aleppo. A year later, with the help of Russian troops liberated Aleppo and Syria with the assistance of Russia, Iran, Turkey, USA, Jordan and the UN in the process of creation and functioning of areas of de-escalation. An important breakthrough in this question was achieved on the eve of the start of the week of high-level 72 th session of the UN General Assembly, when meeting in Astana announced the establishment of the fourth zone of de-escalation in Idlib.
Latest Astana agreements open the way for political dialogue in Syria, stated the head of Russian foreign Ministry Sergei Lavrov at the UN.
“The situation in Syria gives grounds for cautious optimism… the Agreements create the conditions for further progress towards the implementation of resolution 2254 on the basis of direct dialogue between the government and the opposition to combine its efforts to ensure a speedy elimination of the hotbed of terrorism and establishing peace throughout the country and the restoration of its unity,” — said Lavrov.
Despite the retreat of ISIS* in Syria and Iraq, need more efforts to stabilize the region, including by increasing the supply of humanitarian aid, said the head of the foreign Ministry.
The Minister reminded about the need of honest and professional investigation of cases of use of chemical weapons in the region, “without trying to manipulate the activities of the OPCW”.
Also, the Minister touched upon the middle East conflict, without resolving which it is impossible to expect stability in the region.
“Russia is ready to support the resumption of direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine to cooperate to that end with partners in the Quartet and the League of Arab States,” Lavrov said.
Interaction in cyberspace
Lavrov reminded about the threats that ten years ago was considered professional, and now moved into the category of global. Virus WannaCry a few months ago was almost paralyzed more than half of the countries in the world, a hacker attack on the servers of government agencies have become an effective weapon that is used by many States. But the Western media recently did a major “cyberorganism” Russia, “having hung up” on her responsibility for hacking the servers of the US Democratic party and I think any possible future attack.
In such a setting, manipulating the mass consciousness becomes more urgent task to develop General conditions for cooperation in cyberspace, to prevent the provocation of conflict.
“We urge to say “no” to the militarization of information space. We cannot allow the transformation into an arena of political struggle, the use of information and communication technologies as a tool of pressure, economic damage, propaganda of the ideas of terrorist and extremist ideology” — said Lavrov.
He recalled that Russia has prepared a draft universal Convention on combating cybercrime, including hacking.
“We propose to start the discussion in this session”, — noted the Minister.
To prevent the politicization of the economy
Lavrov noted that Russia together with its partners seeks a more balanced work of twenty, IMF and other international organizations.
“Equal rights for all people and the States demanded in a universal scale, as, in fact, requires the UN Charter,” said Lavrov, speaking Thursday at the 72nd session of the UNGA.
According to Lavrov, “these equitable principles underlie the activities of many associations in which Russia participates actively”, including CIS, SCO, BRICS and many others.
“Together (with partners) we achieve more balanced approaches to such structures as “group of twenty”, APEC, the international monetary Fund, the international Bank for reconstruction and development”, — said the head of the foreign Ministry.
While Lavrov said that Moscow urges not to politicize the global economy and trade.
“We need to abandon bets on closed military alliances, to support and to provide security assurances to States that have made the choice in favor of neutrality. And in the economic region to reduce barriers to trade and investment, stop politicizing economic relations”, — said the head of the foreign Ministry.
Russia believes in the viability of the UN
Summing up his speech, and Recalling the discussions on the reform of the UN, which has become one of the main themes of the current session of the UN General Assembly, Lavrov said that Moscow continues “to believe in the viability of the UN.”
“I want to see an active role of the Secretary-General to promote the full potential of the world organization based on the purposes and principles of the Charter and should respect the prerogatives of intergovernmental bodies,” — said Lavrov at the UN General Assembly.
Lavrov urged the revival of the “culture of diplomacy”.
He recalled the words of the Roman philosopher, Seneca, said two millennia ago: “we were born to live together”.
“Closest to the realization of this fact came the founding fathers of the United Nations. They were convinced, and put it in the Charter itself granted by God the coexistence on the same planet should be forced to unite to prevent the horrors of new wars,” reminded the Minister.
According to Lavrov, today the “dire need to revive the culture of diplomacy, of dialogue, of finding a balance of interests, as opposed to instincts for quick decisions and the desire to punish the rebellious”
With these words the Minister of foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, to the applause of the audience ended his speech.
Lavrov is not the first time uses literary or historical allusions in his speech. Last year, speaking of the destructive trends in the world, he remembered Orwell.
“In today’s world cannot be guided by the philosophy of anti-heroes, dystopian George Orwell’s Animal farm (“Animal Farm”), when all are equal, but some “are more equal”. In the enlightened twenty-first century is absolutely indecent to teach everyone, while reserving the right and on the doping and on a unilateral adventure in circumvention of the UN, and on the geopolitical experiments cost millions of human lives”, — said the Russian Minister.
*A terrorist organization banned in Russia.