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Old July 3rd, 2020 #92
Alex Him
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Originally Posted by Ray Allan View Post
Every briefing delivered by Mrs. Zakharova is top-notch.
I agree, Ray






Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s telephone conversation with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi



28 March 2020 - 11:42







On March 27, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke by phone with State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China Wang Yi.

The parties discussed the coronavirus pandemic. They praised the bilateral cooperation and exchange of experience in countering the pandemic, noting the effectiveness of the measures taken by both countries. The officials pointed out the importance of further expanding contacts in order to protect lives and ensure the safety of the two nations.

The ministers stated that in the current conditions of the pandemic Russia and China continue to strengthen their strategic partnership. They have the same positions on global affairs and promote foreign policy coordination, including the implementation of Moscow and Beijing’s responsibility as permanent members of the UN Security Council to maintain international peace and security.




The source of information - https://www.mid.ru/en/foreign_policy...ent/id/4093137






Comment by the Information and Press Department on the continuing military and political crisis in Yemen



30 March 2020 - 16:02



Hostilities have not abated in the Republic of Yemen, where the severe military-political conflict involving the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia sadly entered its sixth year recently.

Fierce armed clashes continue in Yemen’s Ma'rib and Al Jawf provinces. There is no end to the exchange of air strikes, with coalition forces bombing areas of Yemen controlled by the Ansar Allah movement and Houthis using missiles and drones to attack targets inside Saudi territory. It has been reported that the coalition’s antiaircraft systems recently intercepted several missiles launched against Riyadh and the town of Jazan not far from the Yemeni border.

Earlier, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all the parties involved in the Yemeni conflict to put an end to the bloody multi-year crisis in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Moscow wholeheartedly supports this initiative of the UN Secretary-General. We believe it is necessary for all the warring parties to renounce violence and begin to seek a political settlement of existing differences. For our part, we are determined to continue to do our utmost to facilitate the UN-led negotiation process, which is intended to provide a comprehensive and durable solution to the numerous problems that Yemen is facing and which are much felt by neighbouring countries.




The source of information - https://www.mid.ru/en/foreign_policy...ent/id/4093306






Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo



30 March 2020 - 20:10







On March 30, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the US side’s initiative.

As a follow-up to the telephone conversation between the presidents of Russia and the United States that took place several hours earlier heads of foreign offices continued an exchange of views related to the situation in the world caused by the coronavirus pandemic. They reaffirmed their intention to assist in implementing the decisions of the G20 summit held during a video conference call on March 26.

They also touched upon other topical issues regarding the international agenda, including the situation in strategic stability, the Syrian settlement process and other questions concerning bilateral relations.




The source of information - https://www.mid.ru/en/foreign_policy...ent/id/4093373






Comment by the Information and Press Department on North Macedonia joining NATO



31 March 2020 - 16:12



On March 27, after depositing its instrument of accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in Washington, North Macedonia officially became NATO’s 30th member. By necessity the event had a lower profile and less pomp than previous waves of the alliance’s expansion due to ongoing concerns over the coronavirus.

Despite the emergency declaration in North Macedonia, its leaders still took time out to rhapsodise on the historic nature of the country’s accession to NATO, which supposedly will ensure stability and security of Skopje. Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov even called the country’s NATO membership “the testament of our fathers and grandfathers.” What was not mentioned, however, was how close the formal date of accession was to the anniversary of the start of NATO’s bombing of Yugoslavia.

From the moment the Prespa Agreement was signed with Greece in June 2018, the process of North Macedonia’s integration into NATO – the self-proclaimed “alliance of democracies” – has been marked by a great many procedural and legislative irregularities. According to national law, turnout for the referendum on EU and NATO membership on September 30, 2018 was too low for the result to be valid. Various cases of interference in North Macedonia’s domestic affairs, even blackmail and intimidation, became known to the public. All of this went unnoticed by our Western partners, who are usually such sticklers for detail when it comes to legislative procedure.

It is evident that Skopje’s membership in the alliance yields no added value to European, regional or national security. This step certainly will not make it any easier to join efforts to counter common threats and challenges, including the coronavirus pandemic. It will only create new lines of separation.

A clear rationale for North Macedonia joining NATO has still yet to be given. Its people are promised economic growth, increased foreign investment and greater rule of law. But it is not necessary to join a military-political alliance for this. Now Skopje is required to immediately increase spending on defence and purchases of Western, primarily American, arms and equipment. This is the price the Macedonian nation will have to pay for ceding its sovereignty on military-political and other matters.

Regarding the promised security dividends, the alliance is not always able to reliably protect its members or even put an end to old disputes between them, instead mastering the art of sweeping such things under the rug.

According to procedure, Skopje is expected to confirm acceptance of its NATO obligations under documents signed with Russia, in particular the 1997 Founding Act and the 2002 Rome Declaration.




The source of information - https://www.mid.ru/en/foreign_policy...ent/id/4093913






Press release on signing the Joint Declaration of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Burundi on No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space



1 April 2020 - 21:00



On February 18 in Bujumbura and on March 27 in Moscow, Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Minister of the Republic of Burundi Ezechiel Nibigira signed the Joint Declaration on No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space.

The Joint Declaration was another step in globalising the international initiative on no first placement of weapons in space. This initiative, the only act of transparency and trust to prevent an arms race in outer space, has become a significant political factor enhancing international peace, ensuring equal and indivisible security for all, as well as stepping up predictability and stability in countries’ activities in peaceful research and exploration of outer space.

In their Joint Declaration, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Burundi call on countries that are not parties to the initiative to consider the possibility of full-scale accession to it.




The source of information - https://www.mid.ru/en/foreign_policy...ent/id/4094131
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