PRESS RELEASE
Former Italian Prime Minister Dini Exhorts Trump To Recognize Crimea’s Referendum Rejoining Russia
Dec. 1, 2016 (EIRNS)—Speaking at the Primakov Readings International Forum in Moscow, Italy’s former Prime Minister and former Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini called on U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to recognize the referendum in Crimea which approved the region unifying with the Russia Federation.
"Nowadays, tensions between Russia and the United States has [sic] reached, possibly, the highest level since 1998," TASS quoted Dini as saying, emphasizing that the policy of sanctions "the U.S. and European countries imposed on Russia" was to be blamed for this.
"President-elect Trump has a unique opportunity to restore relations with Russia, in particular by recognizing the referendum in Crimea and cooperating with Russia against international terrorism in Syria,"
Dini said, expressing hope that Russian-U.S. cooperation should be resumed to make progress on international issues.
The Primakov Readings is an annual international forum commemorating academician Yevgeny Primakov, which was held in Moscow on Nov. 28-30, chaired by Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov and addressed yesterday by Russian President Vladimir Putin. It was attended by Russian and foreign experts, diplomats, and representatives of the authorities, civil society, and the media. Among the international speakers were former NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana, former Foreign Minister of Egypt and Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, former World Bank President James Wolfensohn, and Dini, all of whom had been good friends and colleagues of Primakov.
Primakov had held the position of Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, and chief of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, among others.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov gave a speech at the event outlining Primakov’s immense influence and accomplishment in Russia’s post-Soviet foreign policy, which has formed the basis of Russia’s current foreign policy. He detailed Primakov’s developing the concept of multipolarity of world politics; his role in creating the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS); agreements with NATO, including the Russia NATO Council; his attempts to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, which actually were realized in the Normandy Four agreement.
Lavrov especially noted that "Mr. Primakov’s ideas about launching trilateral Russia-India-China cooperation, the RIC format, deserve special mention. This trio was later used to form BRICS, which has already established itself as an innovative association that meets the needs and realities of the 21st century. The results of the recent BRICS summit in Goa, India, confirmed the strategic nature of the partnership within the Big Five, and every participant’s willingness to promote cooperation across many areas."
