PRESS RELEASE

---

Lavrov Stresses Collaboration between Eurasian Economic Union and New Silk Road

Dec. 30, 2015 (EIRNS)—In an interview with Interfax, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, reviewing the outgoing year, said that two tendencies have worked in opposite directions globally: one tendency was motivated by the attempt to dominate international affairs even against objective realities; the other tendency, which Russia supports, pursues constructive diplomacy respecting the sovereignty of other nations.

The first, destructive tendency, Lavrov explained, has increased

"factors of instability, including those we continue to see in the global economy. The Eurozone and other regional crises and persisting economic inequality were used to protect one’s interests at the expense of others’, and to split apart the global economic playing field."

Russia has chosen the opposing approach, particularly in the Asian-Pacific region, reaching

"a framework agreement on combining the EAEU project with China’s Silk Road Economic Belt initiative, and the EAEU has signed a free trade area agreement with Vietnam,"

Lavrov said, pointing to the May 2015 agreement signed between the EAEU and Vietnam as occurring in this context.

Furthermore, Lavrov stressed,

"Russia held the rotating presidency of two promising multilateral platforms, the SCO [Shanghai Cooperation Organization] and BRICS, and the summits that were held in Ufa last July confirmed the rising prestige of these two groups and outlined their development trends. India and Pakistan have applied for SCO full membership."

The full interview in English is carried on both the Foreign Ministry website and website of the Russian Federation Embassy in Washington.