Stratford57
Diamond Member
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov gives his annual news conference in Moscow, January 26, 2016. It lasted more than two hours. More than 200 journalists from different countries were present.
Lavrov agreed that relations between Moscow and the West would never be the same again.
“Our western colleagues say sometimes that there will be no more ‘business as usual’ with Russia – and I’m confident that statement is absolutely correct,”Lavrov said.
“There will be no more business as usual after they attempted to impose agreements on us respecting the interests of either the European Union or the US in the first place, trying to convince us that they will not damage our interests,”he said.“That’s over now.”
Western countries are still trying to“accrue one-sided benefits"and even attempting"to punish us for conducting an independent international policy,”Lavrov said.
“Of course, we take that into account in our actions. But that’s not our choice.”
NATO's build-up near Russia’s borders is shortsighted, the Russian foreign minister said, adding that Moscow would keep an eye on the concentration of military potential in neighboring countries.
"Now we see the counterproductive and dangerous policy in relations with Russia, including the build-up of NATO's military potential near our borders and the creation of global European and Asian segments of a global US missile defense,"Lavrov said.
He added that Moscow considers such actions destabilizing and shortsighted.
----
Speaking on the conclusions of the public investigation regarding the death of the former FSB officer Litvinenko, who died of polonium poisoning in London in 2006, Lavrov called attention to the“gravest accusations brought against the Russian leadership without providing any evidence at all.”
Lavrov added that should“a savvy lawyer take up the case and analyze the facts and the statements made by the British policymakers, they could be held liable for libel.”
-----
No peace talks to resolve the Syrian crisis can be successful without the Syrian Kurds participating in them, Lavrov said. Yet the final decision on whether to invite the Kurds remains with the UN's Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura, and Moscow is not going to veto it.
“We’ve been hearing from certain members of the international Syrian support group, I’d say from one member, doubts about whether the Syrian Kurds, more specifically the Democratic Union Party [PYD], should be invited to the talks. I believe that without that participant the talks will fail to deliver the result we expect, which is a final political settlement in Syria,”Lavrov said, pointing out that the Kurds make up to 15 percent of Syria’s population and inhabit a“considerable, moreover crucial territory.”
----
Official Kiev perceives Western sanctions against Russia as a license to ignore the conditions of the Minsk-2 agreements, Lavrov said.
“Prolongation of the sanctions is being taken for the West’s agreement that Kiev could abstain from fulfilling the agreements,”he stated.
“We don’t want anyone to form policies out of misconception that it is Russia, not Ukraine, who must fulfill the Minsk-2 agreements,”Lavrov warned, noting that contacts with Victoria Nuland suggest that the US understand the essence of Minsk-2 agreements well.
Lavrov: Policy of restraining Russia continues, high time to drop it
Ukraine is dragging its feet on implementation of the Minsk peace agreement because its wants to keep in place the Western sanctions imposed on Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
"The West understands that today's situation is a dead end - when everyone assumes that it is up to Russia to implement the Minsk accords while Ukraine can do just nothing. That it may not amend its constitution, may not give special status to the Donbass region ... Everyone understands that no one will resolve these issues for Ukraine," Lavrov told an annual news conference.
Ukraine deliberately drags feet on Minsk peace deal - Lavrov
On Russian Anti-Terrorist Campaign in Syria
"As a permanent member of the US Security Council, and one of the largest countries of the world, Russia exercised its right to get involved in the Syrian conflict."
However, the Minister added, one can't use only a military way to combat terrorism, but should also fight it politically.
Sergei Lavrov reiterated that the international law is the only basis of finding solutions to the conflict, but stressed that Russian aerospace operations in Syria definitely helped to change situation in the country.
"The Russian Aerospace Forces' operations [in Syria] following the Syrian government's request have really helped to change the situation in this country and helped to limit the territory under terrorists' control," Lavrov said at his annual press conference.
According to Lavrov, it became clear what is going on in Syria — who supports or helps terrorists, who fights against them or uses them for "unilateral egoistic purposes."
On Relations With Ukraine and Minsk Accords
Russia is open to negotiation on the matter, presuming noninterference into internal matters of each country and strictly stcking to the Minsk accords.
"Policy of restraining Russia continues, though high time to drop this policy and file in historical archives," noted Sergei Lavrov.
He also noted that US, EU continue non-constructive, dangerous policy toward Russia, including fortifying NATO.
Russia in 2016 will continue to demand the strict implementation of the Minsk deal on Ukrainian reconciliation.
"Not all the arrangements have been implemented, especially those concerning Kiev's obligations to establish a direct dialogue with Donetsk and Luhansk, the settlement of political aspects of the Ukrainian crisis.," Lavrov said.
The minister added that Moscow remained committed to a "peaceful resolution of the internal Ukrainian crisis and will continue to encourage the Ukrainians to regain their national consensus."
On the Development in Donbass
Russia has never breached its international commitments, Lavrov stressed, including the one not to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine, pursuant to the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances. Unlike Yulia Tymoshenko, who urged to burn Russia with nuclear weapons.
Everyone understands, what was happening in Ukraine, the Minister added, and who defended what. However, he said, as it happens, every country seems to have a right to defend its citizens, and only Russia is portrayed as acting against international rules and norms, which is not true.
Regardsing the amendments to the Ukrainian constitution, stipulated in the Minsk records, Lavrov said that the Ukrainian authorities try to stick to these accords not through its conscientious implementation, but rather through flirting with the radicals.
Relationship Between UK and Russia
Britain's Litvinenko case inquiry seriously complicates the bilateral ties.
UK brought accusations against Russia's highest leadership and FSB officers in Litvinenko case without any evidence or otherwise verification, which is rare practice for such a case, the Minister said.
Regarding another highly discussed death of businessman Boris Berezovsky, Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow doubts that actual reason of his death will ever be revealed.
Lavrov Recaps Year of Russian Diplomacy in Annual Press Conference
Lavrov agreed that relations between Moscow and the West would never be the same again.
“Our western colleagues say sometimes that there will be no more ‘business as usual’ with Russia – and I’m confident that statement is absolutely correct,”Lavrov said.
“There will be no more business as usual after they attempted to impose agreements on us respecting the interests of either the European Union or the US in the first place, trying to convince us that they will not damage our interests,”he said.“That’s over now.”
Western countries are still trying to“accrue one-sided benefits"and even attempting"to punish us for conducting an independent international policy,”Lavrov said.
“Of course, we take that into account in our actions. But that’s not our choice.”
NATO's build-up near Russia’s borders is shortsighted, the Russian foreign minister said, adding that Moscow would keep an eye on the concentration of military potential in neighboring countries.
"Now we see the counterproductive and dangerous policy in relations with Russia, including the build-up of NATO's military potential near our borders and the creation of global European and Asian segments of a global US missile defense,"Lavrov said.
He added that Moscow considers such actions destabilizing and shortsighted.
----
Speaking on the conclusions of the public investigation regarding the death of the former FSB officer Litvinenko, who died of polonium poisoning in London in 2006, Lavrov called attention to the“gravest accusations brought against the Russian leadership without providing any evidence at all.”
Lavrov added that should“a savvy lawyer take up the case and analyze the facts and the statements made by the British policymakers, they could be held liable for libel.”
-----
No peace talks to resolve the Syrian crisis can be successful without the Syrian Kurds participating in them, Lavrov said. Yet the final decision on whether to invite the Kurds remains with the UN's Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura, and Moscow is not going to veto it.
“We’ve been hearing from certain members of the international Syrian support group, I’d say from one member, doubts about whether the Syrian Kurds, more specifically the Democratic Union Party [PYD], should be invited to the talks. I believe that without that participant the talks will fail to deliver the result we expect, which is a final political settlement in Syria,”Lavrov said, pointing out that the Kurds make up to 15 percent of Syria’s population and inhabit a“considerable, moreover crucial territory.”
----
Official Kiev perceives Western sanctions against Russia as a license to ignore the conditions of the Minsk-2 agreements, Lavrov said.
“Prolongation of the sanctions is being taken for the West’s agreement that Kiev could abstain from fulfilling the agreements,”he stated.
“We don’t want anyone to form policies out of misconception that it is Russia, not Ukraine, who must fulfill the Minsk-2 agreements,”Lavrov warned, noting that contacts with Victoria Nuland suggest that the US understand the essence of Minsk-2 agreements well.
Lavrov: Policy of restraining Russia continues, high time to drop it
Ukraine is dragging its feet on implementation of the Minsk peace agreement because its wants to keep in place the Western sanctions imposed on Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
"The West understands that today's situation is a dead end - when everyone assumes that it is up to Russia to implement the Minsk accords while Ukraine can do just nothing. That it may not amend its constitution, may not give special status to the Donbass region ... Everyone understands that no one will resolve these issues for Ukraine," Lavrov told an annual news conference.
Ukraine deliberately drags feet on Minsk peace deal - Lavrov
On Russian Anti-Terrorist Campaign in Syria
"As a permanent member of the US Security Council, and one of the largest countries of the world, Russia exercised its right to get involved in the Syrian conflict."
However, the Minister added, one can't use only a military way to combat terrorism, but should also fight it politically.
Sergei Lavrov reiterated that the international law is the only basis of finding solutions to the conflict, but stressed that Russian aerospace operations in Syria definitely helped to change situation in the country.
"The Russian Aerospace Forces' operations [in Syria] following the Syrian government's request have really helped to change the situation in this country and helped to limit the territory under terrorists' control," Lavrov said at his annual press conference.
According to Lavrov, it became clear what is going on in Syria — who supports or helps terrorists, who fights against them or uses them for "unilateral egoistic purposes."
On Relations With Ukraine and Minsk Accords
Russia is open to negotiation on the matter, presuming noninterference into internal matters of each country and strictly stcking to the Minsk accords.
"Policy of restraining Russia continues, though high time to drop this policy and file in historical archives," noted Sergei Lavrov.
He also noted that US, EU continue non-constructive, dangerous policy toward Russia, including fortifying NATO.
Russia in 2016 will continue to demand the strict implementation of the Minsk deal on Ukrainian reconciliation.
"Not all the arrangements have been implemented, especially those concerning Kiev's obligations to establish a direct dialogue with Donetsk and Luhansk, the settlement of political aspects of the Ukrainian crisis.," Lavrov said.
The minister added that Moscow remained committed to a "peaceful resolution of the internal Ukrainian crisis and will continue to encourage the Ukrainians to regain their national consensus."
On the Development in Donbass
Russia has never breached its international commitments, Lavrov stressed, including the one not to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine, pursuant to the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances. Unlike Yulia Tymoshenko, who urged to burn Russia with nuclear weapons.
Everyone understands, what was happening in Ukraine, the Minister added, and who defended what. However, he said, as it happens, every country seems to have a right to defend its citizens, and only Russia is portrayed as acting against international rules and norms, which is not true.
Regardsing the amendments to the Ukrainian constitution, stipulated in the Minsk records, Lavrov said that the Ukrainian authorities try to stick to these accords not through its conscientious implementation, but rather through flirting with the radicals.
Relationship Between UK and Russia
Britain's Litvinenko case inquiry seriously complicates the bilateral ties.
UK brought accusations against Russia's highest leadership and FSB officers in Litvinenko case without any evidence or otherwise verification, which is rare practice for such a case, the Minister said.
Regarding another highly discussed death of businessman Boris Berezovsky, Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow doubts that actual reason of his death will ever be revealed.
Lavrov Recaps Year of Russian Diplomacy in Annual Press Conference
