Speech and Answers of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov to the Questions of Mass Media During a Joint Press Conference on Results of Negotiations with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Peru R. Roncayolo, Moscow, May 29, 2012

Ladies and Gentlemen,

My Peruvian colleague, Mr. R. Roncayolo and I had very useful talks.

We have formed a long-standing tradition of successful collaboration with Peru. Today we agreed to give additional impetus to bilateral relations. We are satisfied with the level of political dialogue between our countries. We agreed to continue contacts at the highest levels, particularly at the upcoming APEC summit in September in Vladivostok.

Both sides agree that it is important to deepen and expand economic and trade cooperation. Trade turnover between Russia and Peru is growing steadily and rapidly. But in the investment field we have so far no serious results. We agreed to fill this gap. The mutual interest in the implementation of promising projects in the field of energy, communications, space, natural resources, aquaculture, agricultural research, medicine have been noticed.

The co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological and Fisheries Cooperation and (from the Peruvian side – my colleague, Mr. R. Roncayolo and from Russian side – Director of Federal Agency for Fishery, Andrei Krayny) during the current year will agree the meeting of IGC in which fully evaluate the opportunities for cooperation and measures for their fullest realization.

We will facilitate the organization of more frequent contacts between business community. The representatives of Russian business are ready to visit Peru for this purpose. Such trip, of course, has to be well prepared and we are ready on behalf of governments of our countries to provide them with necessary assistance.

In April of this year in Lima, the first meeting of bilateral intergovernmental commission on military and technical cooperation took place. Today we discussed measures to be taken for the implementation of agreements reached in this area, as well as our cooperation in emergencies, taking into account the activities of Joint Russian-Peruvian Commission on this issue.

Our countries have great interest in the continuation and deepening of cooperation in the field of education and culture. I am convinced that there are also good prospects in the field of tourism.

Today we added to our international treaty framework the signing of Agreement on mutual recognition and equivalence documents on education and scientific degrees. This is of particular importance, as of tens of thousands of Peruvians who have graduated from educational establishments of our country, Soviet and Russian higher educational institutions. This Agreement can really help them in practical life.

We work on about twenty more intergovernmental and interdepartmental documents. They cover the most diverse spheres of Russian-Peruvian relations. We agreed to accelerate the preparation of those documents for signing.

We are united in a positive evaluation of cooperation between our countries based on common approaches to key international problems, vision of modern world and belief in the need to strengthen multi-polarity of the modern world in the world stage.

From this perspective, we agreed to continue the profound dialogue within the UN, APEC and other multi-sided organizations. We appreciate the support of Peru to Russia's efforts to implement the programme and objectives of our presidency of APEC this year. Today we discussed the development of contacts between the Russian Federation and various integrative associations in Latin America. We appreciate the support of Peru in such contacts and assistance in their development.

One of the priority areas of our bilateral agenda took the tasks of resistance to global challenges and threats, primarily international terrorism, drug traffic and other forms of organized crime. Russian party endorsed the initiative of Peru to hold an international meeting on drug control in Lima in June. We had pleasure in accepting the invitation of our Peruvian friends to send a delegation to this important event.

I think, we can in general express our mutual satisfaction with negotiations succeeded and concrete agreements reached. Now they have to be implemented.

I thank my colleague and give him the floor.

Question: In recent years, Russia has intensified its contacts with many regional organizations on different continents. What are its relationships with unions in Latin America and the Caribbean?

S. V. Lavrov: As I said in my introductory word, we aim to deepen the existing contacts and establish new contacts with the integration associations in Latin America where a very intense process of consolidation of the continent takes place. Numerous sub-regional groups function in conditions of strengthening the trend towards the creation of region-wide "umbrella" in the capacity of which acts CELAC, an established for the first time union of all, without exception, Latin American countries. We have good experience of contacts with the regional associations in Latin America. We develop a sustained dialogue with Rio Group, political "tens" of MERCOSUR, there are regular contacts with the Central American Integration System. Currently we establish contacts with UNASUR which will be headed by Peru since November. This was just told by Mr. R. Roncayolo. Russia received an offer from Latin American countries to hold a meeting with the governing bodies of CELAC "in the territory" of the UN in the near future. We are interested in this. I think that such contact would be very helpful.

We also examine new initiatives. In particular, Peru is one of the Latin American countries which support the creation of Pacific Alliance, a union of states that want to maximize the use of Pacific factor in their integration aspirations. I think here you can find a "niche" for cooperation between the Russian Far Eastern regions and a new emerging union.

Do not forget that Russia is a participant of Latin American countries' efforts to combat drugs and terrorism and regularly sends delegations to the sessions of relevant structures established in Latin America. We plan to continue this interaction, which gives practical results.

Russia is also an observer in the Organization of American States (OAS). In June of this year, the 42nd session of the OAS General Assembly in which we will continue our participation as an observer will take place in Bolivia. It is also quite interesting and useful mechanism. However, I repeat, the main trend on the continent is still the development of Latin American integration processes. We see this as a very "healthy grain", particularly in terms of world politics: the more economically stronger and politically influential Latin America is, the more stable becomes the multipolar world order which we all want to achieve.

The views of Latin America on international relations are very close to Russian because the basis of foreign policy positions of Latin American countries is for us the key principle of domination of international law, respect and strict observance of the UN Charter, solution of any problems by peaceful means, development of collective rather than unilateral approaches to various issues emerging in the international and regional agenda.

Question: On 27 May in the North of Mali Tuareg and Islamist fractions agreed to join forces and create AZAVAD, transition council of "Islamic State". The opinions that it actually means the dissolution of Mali are already heard. Sergey Viktorovich, how could you comment on the situation?

S. V. Lavrov: We consider this as a real threat of dissolution of sovereign UN member state. Most analysts see here one of the real manifestations of continuing crisis over Libya, which resulted in greatly complicated efforts to ensure the unity of the Libyan state. Now the negative consequences "flow" over its borders and "sprout" directly in Mali.

We have already said that in principle Russia did not see anything unnatural in coming to power of Islamist politicians in various states. It is important that this was a constitutional manner to be the means of general election based on the will of people. When the attempts to seize power by force, to undermine constitutional order and to dismember the state are taken, we cannot interpret such action otherwise, as undermining the foundations of modern international law.

African Union has already spoken out on this subject. We share the position of African states. We shall provide political support for efforts to restore the territorial integrity of Mali and transfer of the situation in political and constitutional channels. Hopefully, it will be another lesson for all of us, particularly in relation to other situations in the Middle East and North Africa. Until now, we do not yet understand the full ramifications of Libyan crisis, which may manifest themselves in different forms and in other areas. In this context, it is important to look at the situation around Syria, as the events taking place there have already ‘come back to bite' Lebanon, and may respond negatively to other parts of the region. We all need to exercise utmost responsibility, not ‘to pour oil to flames', but rather try to fight this fire and sit it at the negotiating table.

Question: What does Russian party expect from the upcoming K. Annan's contacts with the leaders of Syria and Syrian opposition? Taking into account the growing violence level in the SAR, as far as you think, is it real to implement the plan of Special UN/LAS Envoy?

S. V. Lavrov: K. Annan's contacts in Damascus began yesterday, 28 May. Today, Special UN/LAS Envoy meets Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Following the results of the meeting, we agreed to have a telephone conversation with Kofi Annan today in the afternoon. I hope to get first-hand evaluation. For now, I can say that we are troubled by persistent attempts to thwart the plan of Kofi Annan. Tragic events of 25 May at Hula are also used as an excuse. As you know, on Sunday (27 May) at an extraordinary meeting convened among others upon the initiative of Russia, the UN Security Council expressed its position on this issue and called for an urgent investigation of the tragedy which has been entrusted with the UN Observer Mission in Syria. We know that UN personnel have been actively engaged in this issue and expect to obtain information from them shortly.

But we have a concern that some countries, not noticing the request of Security Council for such an investigation are already beginning to use unfolding events as a pretext to put forward demands on the need for military action and attempts to put pressure on the UN Security Council. Apparently, the Kofi Annan's plan is not the reason for them to stop, as it is not aimed at regime change, but to create conditions for reform through dialogue between the Government of SAR and all Syrian opposition fractions.

We were struck by yesterday's public statement of the head of ‘the Syrian National Council' (SNC), Burhan Ghalioun, in which he openly encourages all Syrian opposition forces to continue ‘the liberation struggle for as long as the UN Security Council does not give approval for military intervention from outside.' We regard this statement of the SNC head, under whose backing some countries in the region want to gather all Syrian opposition, as a direct incitement to civil war. Such statements directly contradict the K. Annan's plan, which provides for the union of Syrian opposition not on a platform of civil war, but on the basis of willingness to dialogue with the authorities. It is not clear how the sponsors of ‘the Syrian National Council' can support efforts to unite all Syrian opposition under this backing.

Most of the opposition forces' representatives campaign against military intervention from outside and any attempt to question the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the SAR. It seems to me that these events make it clear a lot about the prospects for political dialogue and conditions under which it must be carried out.

Another pretext for the requirements for the UN Security Council's sanctions to military action in Syria is the problem of refugees. Some try to make it so that if you do not create ‘humanitarian corridors' and ‘buffer zones' the problem will not be resolved. We empathize with countries hosting Syrian refugees in their territory. The greatest number of them, about 35,000, is located in Turkey. Comparable figures are also in Jordan and Lebanon. In general, we are talking about 100-150 thousand of displaced persons.

We support the ambition of UN High Commissioner for Refugees to assist those who are in these camps. It is important to ensure appropriate access. But, trying to make the problem of Syrian refugees a pretext for military intervention, for some reason it is modestly held back, that there are about a million of refugees from Iraq and around half a million of Palestinians in the territory of the SAR itself. These are figures which are disparate with what resulted from the outflow of the Syrian population abroad.

I would suggest everyone to be objective and focus on how to achieve the unity of the Syrian opposition on the platform of readiness for political dialogue. In turn, the foreign players must unite in positions that involve a sincere interest in Kofi Annan's plan to influence all the Syrian side - SAR Government and opposition structures, as well as developing specific mechanisms for the implementation of each of the six-point plan of Kofi Annan.

Yesterday, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of Great Britain, W. Hague, and I discussed these particular ideas. I got the impression that we thought alike. I hope that eventually we will be able to enter the practical steps that will ensure the unity of words spoken in support of K. Annan's plan and practical deeds in its implementation.