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- October 16, 202612°
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- October 16, 202612°
Lavrov says Moscow will help resolve Afghanistan-Pakistan disputes
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said they support the normalization of relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan and are ready to help resolve disputes between the two countries. Lavrov also made remarks on the Middle East, NATO’s presence in the Asia-Pacific and Russia–Timor-Leste economic cooperation.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow wants relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan to be normalized and is ready to support efforts to resolve disputes between the two countries.
Speaking at a news conference following his meeting with Timor-Leste’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Bendito Freitas, Lavrov assessed Afghanistan-Pakistan relations, developments in the Middle East, Russia’s relations with NATO and the alliance’s expansion of its presence in the Asia-Pacific.
Moscow to help resolve Afghanistan-Pakistan disputes
Lavrov said a final document could not be adopted at the Moscow Format consultation meeting on Afghanistan because of disagreements between Kabul and Islamabad, adding that the situation should not be “turned into a tragedy.”
Lavrov said a serious confrontation was taking place between Afghanistan and Pakistan, including over the activities of terrorist organizations. The Russian minister said both countries were interested in normalizing their relations and noted that Moscow was helping resolve existing and emerging problems.
Lavrov argued that the problems in the region were linked to the severe consequences of Western countries’ intervention.
The Middle East and Iran
Lavrov and Freitas also discussed the situation in the Middle East and developments around the Persian Gulf. Lavrov said the meeting addressed the prospects for a diplomatic agreement between Iran and the United States and Israel.
Lavrov said the situation in the Middle East was having a negative impact on the global economy. He expressed hope that initiatives by countries in the region, including Egypt, Pakistan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, could help keep the process on a diplomatic and political track.
Lavrov criticizes NATO’s military presence in Asia
The Russian foreign minister said Moscow was monitoring reports that NATO was preparing a plan for a possible attack on Russia. He said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and the United States’ Permanent Representative to the alliance, Matthew Whitaker, had stated, following Moscow’s remarks on Kaliningrad, that NATO had no plan to attack Russia and that the alliance was defensive in nature.
Lavrov expressed skepticism about assessments that NATO was solely defensive. He argued that the alliance was seeking to expand its military presence in the Far East, Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia, and said Russia was focused on tasks aimed at preventing threats from its western neighbors.
Lavrov also said they supported preserving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) central role in the regional architecture. He accused the United States, some European countries, Australia and Japan of trying to establish closed blocs against ASEAN’s inclusive and consensus-based approach.
Russia–Timor-Leste economic cooperation
The development of bilateral relations between Russia and Timor-Leste was also among the issues discussed. The parties expressed interest in pursuing joint investment projects in energy, mineral extraction, fishing and tourism.
Lavrov said Russian companies were ready to increase supplies of energy resources to Timor-Leste, adding that progress in trade and economic relations had so far been limited.
Lavrov said an agreement had been reached to prepare materials on joint projects, submit them for review by experts and establish contact with Timor-Leste officials.
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