Lavrov Brings Up Five-Power UN Security Council Summit at Far East Federal University Lecture

July 8, 2021 (EIRNS)—Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov repeated Russian President Vladimir Putin’s call for a summit of the permanent five members of the UN Security Council, during a wide-ranging lecture at the Far Eastern Federal University, where he spoke on U.S.-Russian relations, among other issues. His remarks are posted in full in the Foreign Ministry website.

Lavrov said that

“At least, China and France stand strong with our idea to ​​hold this summit” of the leaders of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, “The new administration in the White House has yet to respond to our reminder. They are in the process of considering it. I think Great Britain, as always, is waiting for the U.S. response. We are used to this, it’s business as usual.”

On the issue of strategic stability with the United States, Lavrov said:

“When we talk about the need to discuss every dimension of strategic stability, we have in mind all the factors that influence it, including nuclear and non-nuclear strategic weapons, as well as offensive and defensive strategic systems. We should also keep in mind that the Americans are currently working on a program to launch attack weapons into outer space as part of their plan to deploy a global missile defense system.”

Lavrov also addressed Russia’s proposal to launch a dialogue on cybersecurity:

“Cyberspace is another area of focus. We see heated debates flaring up in the wake of developments unfolding in that area. We are constantly being accused of committing ‘hacking attacks,’ so to speak, and undermining the interests of almost all Western countries. But so far, our numerous proposals to seriously cooperate in avoiding unfounded accusations and to substantively address the emerging issues, and to deal with real rather than far-fetched challenges, have remained without concrete responses. Although in Geneva, President Joe Biden, in response to yet another reminder by President Putin, instructed his team to think about setting up such a dialogue in addition to a dialogue on strategic stability.”

He also warned that

“Attempts are being made almost every day to influence our domestic and foreign policy. Our Western colleagues are using a broad set of instruments, including military provocations, one of which was undertaken recently by NATO warships off the coast of Crimea. Incidentally, these warships are also headed here, to the South China Sea, which shows that their ambitions are truly boundless. Other instruments they are using include illegal economic sanctions, the abduction of our citizens abroad and the presentation of complaints that should be settled in accordance with international treaties for which the West has no regard, as well as large-scale information attacks.”

Lavrov further warned:

“We can assume that new attempts will be made before the State Duma elections to unbalance and destabilize the situation and to incite protests, possibly violent ones, as the West likes. And later they will orchestrate a campaign for the non-recognition of the outcome of the elections. There are such plans, and we are aware of them.” He insisted, however, “I can say with full responsibility that this Western scenario will not materialize....”

Moreover, Lavrov stressed, that all attempts to isolate Russia have failed, explaining:

“We are expanding our ties with the overwhelming majority of states ... including in Eurasia, Latin America and Africa, as well as with our closest allies and like-minded state members of the CSTO, CIS, EAEU, SCO, and BRICS. Taken together, these countries account for over 80% of the world’s population. Any unbiased person can see that it is not a case of Russia’s isolation, contrary to what our Western colleagues claim. Moreover, the number of our friends is increasing, even though the United States and its allies have been trying to prevent this.

“Our Western colleagues are especially active in the Asia-Pacific Region, where the main new centers of economic development and political influence are located. I am referring to our truly strategic partners—China and India, which have been actively and consistently strengthening their political, economic and technological sovereignty as well as their cultural and civilizational identity.”

Responding to a question about on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the upsurge of terrorism there, the minister said the U.S. withdrawal acknowledges its failure after 20 years. He also criticized the Afghan government for not forming an interim regime with the Taliban. “The United States is not merely withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan, it is doing that having actually recognized the failure of its 20-year-long mission,” and he pointed out that terrorist and drug threats have dramatically increased since 2001, reported TASS. “Notably, there are documents in the West indicating to the probability that U.S. servicemen were involved in drug trafficking,” he stressed. He further described that the fact that the Islamic State is “deliberately pulling its forces in Afghanistan’s northern provinces bordering our allies,” he said.

The Russian Foreign Minister also warned that the combined withdrawal of U.S. troops and Kabul’s unwillingness to form an interim government with the Taliban movement now “leave the entire situation open for a force scenario,” TASS quoted him as responding.