Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov interviewed by Bulgarian journal International Relations, Moscow, March 2, 2018
Question: This year marks the 140th anniversary of ending the Russo-Turkish Liberation War of 1877-1878 and the reinstatement of the Bulgarian state. What do you think about the role of these events in the recent history of the Balkan region and Europe? Do historical processes, including the above-mentioned events, have any topical dimensions?
Sergey Lavrov: First of all, I would like to congratulate the people of Bulgaria on the occasion of their national day and wish them well-being, peace and prosperity.
The 140th anniversary of the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman yoke is a landmark date in the history of Russian-Bulgarian relations. I am happy to note that a number of commemorative events are devoted to this anniversary.
Having depleted all diplomatic opportunities, Russia came to the assistance of the fraternal Bulgarian nation, and it helped reinstate and strengthen Bulgarian statehood. At the same time, Russia acted sincerely and selflessly. This was in contrast with the behaviour of some European powers whose unconstructive line at the Berlin Congress of 1878 considerably reduced the territory of liberated Bulgaria.
Obviously, the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 greatly influenced the entire European system. Victory that was made possible by the blood of Russian soldiers and Bulgarian militiamen made it possible to reinstate Bulgaria as an independent state and increased the ethnic self-awareness of other Balkan nations.
Russia highly appreciates the fact that today, 140 years later, the people of Bulgaria cherish the memory of the heroic feat of Russian officers and soldiers. The streets and squares of Bulgarian cities are named after outstanding Russian statesmen, including Emperor Alexander II, diplomat Nikolay Ignatyev, Generals Mikhail Skobelev, Nikolay Stoletov, Eduard Totleben, Mikhail Dragomirov and Josif Gurko.
I am confident that reliance on our common historical past, common cultural and spiritual roots and profound feelings of mutual sympathy and friendship linking our fraternal nations remains a solid foundation for the sustained development of diverse bilateral cooperation.
Question: Russian-Bulgarian relations are currently affected by a tangle of complex factors. On the one hand, there are Orthodoxy and Slavdom, common cultural roots and traditions, spiritual and geographical affinity, respect, kinship and brotherhood. On the other hand, there are geopolitics and political commitments. What are the prospects for the development of bilateral cooperation in various fields of mutual interest, in the run-up to the 140th anniversary of the signing of the San Stefano peace treaty between Russia and the Ottoman Empire, which marked the end of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 and the creation of the Third Bulgarian State? What are the best ways to successfully develop our relationship?
Sergey Lavrov: Bulgaria is an important European partner for Russia. For us, relations with Sofia have a value of their own, regardless of political fluctuations. We are interested in further strengthening these relations on the principles of mutual benefit and consideration for each other’s interests.
Unfortunately, our dialogue has not always been successful in recent years. The most striking example is Bulgaria’s decision to abandon the strategically important South Stream gas pipeline project under pressure from Washington and Brussels.
In this regard, I must note with satisfaction that today our Bulgarian partners are showing an interest in the development of constructive interaction. It is yielding results, too. Trade growth has resumed – by 24 per cent to 3.45 billion dollars last year. I expect that the 16th meeting of the Russian-Bulgarian Intergovernmental Commission for Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation slated for next autumn will consolidate these positive trends and identify promising areas for other cooperative efforts.
In December 2016, we finally turned the page with the Belene nuclear power plant project. After Bulgaria paid the 600 million euros to the Russian manufacturer, the equipment was delivered to the buyer. Sofia is now considering various applications for it, including possible renewal of the project.
Last June, Gazprom and the Bulgarian Ministry of Energy signed a roadmap for the development of cooperation in the gas sector, which involves exploring the possibility of expanding the Bulgarian gas transit system.
Cultural and humanitarian contacts are also progressing quickly. Russian education is becoming an increasingly attractive education option, and the status of the Russian language is growing stronger; and mutual tourism is growing.
I hope that this anniversary will be an important driver for the further expansion of Russian-Bulgarian relations for the benefit of our peoples, in the interests of maintaining stability and security on our common continent.
Question: After the disintegration of the bipolar world and a short period of unipolar illusion, the world has finally become multipolar. We are seeing an increase in confrontation and threat of clashes. It feels as if war is coming back to Europe as a mindset and a legitimate and morally acceptable instrument of resolving international disputes and pursuing interests.
What does Russia think about its place in this new world and what priorities will it have in relations with other global players? Do we have to go through a crisis or even a war to reach catharsis and get back to the road of peace? Do we need a new wave of détente? Should we also expect Helsinki-2 in the near future?
Sergey Lavrov: Today we are witnessing the formation of a new, more fair and democratic polycentric world arrangement. This natural process reflects the appearance and consolidation of new centres of economic power and related political influence. Guided by their own national interests they are confidently assuming their part of the responsibility for maintaining security and stability at different levels.
A multipolar world embodies the cultural and civilisational diversity of its countries, their desire to choose their own political and socio-economic development path without outside interference.
Regrettably, there are a number of serious obstacles on this road. The main one is the stubborn urge of a US-led narrow group of western states to preserve their dominance in all areas in the hope of continuing their wellbeing and prosperity at the expense of others. The international community is paying a high price for these actions. The potential for conflict is growing and the number of hotbeds is multiplying. International law is being subjected to further erosion and attempts are being made to use the factor of force for promoting one’s own interests and to consolidate one’s own security by diminishing the security of others.
It is necessary to fulfil a number of conditions for the radical improvement of the situation in Europe. First of all, it is essential to give up a stake on unilateral actions, pressure, threats and blackmail and to strictly observe the fundamental principles of international life fixed in the UN Charter, including the sovereign equality of states (regardless of their size or form of rule), non-interference in their domestic affairs and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
It is essential to refine the legal framework of interstate communication, in particular, to agree on the uniform interpretation of the principles and standards of international law. In this context, it is difficult to overestimate the role and importance of such a unique organisation as the United Nations with its universal legitimacy. Recent practice has shown that solidary actions backed by its authority in the form of relevant Security Council resolutions are capable of leading to considerable progress in resolving most complicated and intricate issues.
Russia is one of the leading centres of the world that is taking shape, a member of the UN Security Council and a major guarantor of global stability that will continue taking an active part in promoting a positive, unifying and future-oriented international agenda.
Russia will continue facilitating a political and diplomatic settlement of the many crises and conflicts in the world and will consistently uphold the values of truth, justice and large-scale equitable cooperation in global affairs. We are always open to cooperation with anyone who is willing to search for effective solutions to urgent issues of world development.
Question: International terrorism and radical Islam have turned a war from a struggle for territory into a struggle for people's minds, a split of society. We are witnessing a new picture of the world and a redistribution of the global space in a way dictated by the new enemy of mankind – terrorism. Thus, the whole world obviously needs to combine efforts in the fight against international terrorism. In September 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an initiative to create a broad anti-terrorist coalition under the auspices of the United Nations. Two years later, he urged the formation of a broad anti-terrorist front, not only in words but in deeds, on a universally recognised international legal basis, with the UN having the central role in it. What, in your opinion, are the prospects for this initiative? Can Russia, China, the US and the EU overcome their disagreements for the sake of a common battle with international terrorism, and what is needed for this?
Sergey Lavrov: The world is facing many challenges. International terrorism is a special danger for all of civilisation. Terrorist attacks in various countries suggest that this problem has reached an all-embracing scale. For the first time in history, terrorists threatened to create a state – a caliphate with its own territory, population, and a misanthropic ideology.
To effectively defeat the terrorist threat President Vladimir Putin put forward an initiative at the 70th session of the UN General Assembly to form a broad anti-terrorist front, which fully retains its relevance today. Largely thanks to military and diplomatic efforts, Russia has managed to deal a crushing blow to the international terrorist group ISIS in Syria.
We consistently rely on the strong conviction that antiterrorist cooperation should be developed on the foundation of international law and under the auspices of the United Nations, as envisaged by the above-mentioned Russian initiative. The international community needs to overcome the disunity in the actions of various countries and abandon its double standards – the vicious practice of dividing terrorists into evil and lesser evil and attempts to employ them to attain selfish geopolitical goals.
The number of supporters of our principled approach continues to increase. There are some even in the Western political and expert community, where an understanding is growing that we need to learn to overcome controversy to defeat terrorism, and to be guided by long-term goals. Russia has successfully cooperated with many countries for a long time in this sphere. For example, Russian-American special services cooperation helped prevent a terrorist attack in St Petersburg in December 2017.
The relevant ministries and agencies of Russia and China maintain a comprehensive dialogue on a wide range of counter-terrorism issues, including in the format of regular meetings of the bilateral interdepartmental Working Group on Countering Terrorism, also as part of the SCO RATS and the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Working Group.
Fighting terrorism is among the key areas of our interaction with the European Union. A new round of high-level consultations on counter-terrorism took place in early February; the agenda covered a range of issues. In general, we note an understanding of the need to avoid politicising this effort on the part of Brussels.
We view the appointment of Russian diplomat Vladimir Voronkov UN Under-Secretary-General, head of the UN Counterterrorism Office, as evidence of recognition of our contribution to the common antiterrorist effort. We will continue to do our best to build up joint work on the range of issues related to countering international terrorism. There is no alternative to this.
Question: Russia is a strategic partner of the EU. You and the EU are negotiating an agreement on cooperation and partnership on visa liberalisation. These are important issues for Bulgaria as well. You have said that Russia wants the EU to be strong and united but its decisions should be based on a balance of interests of its member states. Do you think that Bulgaria, which will preside over the Council of the European Union until the middle of 2018, can do something to improve Russia-EU relations?
Sergey Lavrov: First of all, I would like to say that the talks on a new basic agreement, as well as on visa facilitation, have been suspended at the EU’s initiative following the February 2014 events in Ukraine, when a coup was staged in Kiev with the connivance of Washington and Brussels. The ultranationalists, who seized power by force, split Ukrainian society and launched a fratricidal war.
The EU, following in Washington’s footsteps, laid the blame for this at Russia’s door, adopted unilateral sanctions and suspended cooperation in many areas, including mutual visa liberalisation and the modernisation of the legal framework for our relations. Moreover, the new Global Strategy [for the EU’s Foreign and Security Policy] says that the relationship with Russia represents a key strategic challenge for Brussels. Using such terms is short-sighted and unprofessional.
Russia has not changed its attitude to relations with the EU. As we said, we want the EU, which is a major neighbour and a key trade and economic partner, to be a strong and independent international actor capable of independently setting its foreign policy priorities. We hope that Europeans will overcome their mental inertia, abandon a Russia policy based on the lowest common denominator, and stop taking its cue from a small but very aggressive group of anti-Russia countries. This would not just make our relations more predictable but also strengthen trust and mutual understanding in the Euro-Atlantic region.
I am pleased to say in this context that several positive trends have recently developed in Russia-EU relations. For example, mutual trade increased by over 20 per cent in 2017, although this is a far cry from the pre-crisis figure, of course. Our political dialogue is being revitalised.
We hope that Bulgaria, which holds the presidency of the Council of the EU, will help redirect Russian-EU relations to a path of sustainable improvement.
Question: What is Russia’s attitude to the active and prospective NATO and EU memberships of western Balkan countries? How does it affect the geopolitical situation and the balance of interests in the Balkans?
Sergey Lavrov: I get this question a lot. NATO is a relic of the era of bipolar confrontation and is still acting in line with Cold War logic, trying to justify its own existence. In the past few years, it has unequivocally proclaimed deterring Russia as its goal.
NATO is obsessed with the idea of bringing the Balkans into its orbit. Having drawn Montenegro into its ranks without considering the opinion of its people, NATO is boosting efforts to accelerate Macedonia’s accession to the bloc and has similar plans for Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this way, it is consolidating the dividing lines in Europe and loosening the architecture of European security. Such actions are hardly in the interests of European nations. Moreover, NATO failed to give an adequate response to the main challenge of our time – international terrorism.
Having proposed an initiative to sign a European security treaty, Russia continues working for indivisible security in our common European home.
We do not see the desire of Balkan countries to join the EU as a problem. Naturally, they should judge for themselves, without outside interference, whether the preconditions for joining the EU meet their national interests. Needless to say, the Euro-integration aspirations of the Balkan nations should not be an obstacle to their cooperation with Russia. If the will is there, it is always possible to find acceptable formats of cooperation.
Regrettably, efforts to undermine Russia’s centuries-long ties with the Balkan countries have been considerably stepped up recently. They are being given an ultimatum, “You’re either with us or against us”. In other words, they are supposed to choose between Moscow on the one hand and Washington and Brussels on the other. The aim of such efforts is to turn the Balkans into yet another front in the confrontation in Europe. I am sure that the public of the Baltic countries is against such scenarios.
As for Russia, we intend to continue making a positive contribution to regional affairs. We view the Balkans as a region for constructive dialogue and cooperation in the interests of its nations.
