Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s statement and answers to media questions at a joint news conference with Foreign Minister of the State of Kuwait Salem Al-Sabah following talks in Moscow, November 3, 2023

Ladies and gentlemen,

I had extensive talks with my colleague, Foreign Minister of the State of Kuwait Salem Al-Sabah, focusing on the prospects for the traditionally friendly relations between our countries. March 2023 marked the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our countries. We reiterated our commitment to making further progress across all areas based on the fundamental agreements reached at the top level.

We agreed to expand inter-parliamentary contacts. Today, the Minister will meet with State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin. We agreed to intensify exchanges of delegation.

We particularly emphasised the importance of fostering economic, trade, and investment ties and highlighted the important role of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation. We agreed to expedite the convening of its 7th session which, on a rotating basis, will take place in Russia.

We noted that Russia has become a popular tourist destination with Kuwaiti tourists. Since the beginning of this year, the tourist flow from Kuwait to our country has increased almost tenfold compared to 2022. Direct air service between Moscow and Kuwait City established in February 2023 has played a positive role in this regard. Certainly, simplified visa regulations introduced by the Russian authorities for Kuwait and several other countries have played its role as well. Starting August 1, applicants from these countries can obtain electronic visas quickly and without excessive paperwork.

Today, we agreed to consider drafting an intergovernmental agreement on visa-free travel between our countries, and we would like to sign this document without delay.

We covered priority regional issues as well, with a focus on the Middle East settlement given the sharp escalation in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict area. Russia and Kuwait strongly condemn and reject terrorist attacks, the indiscriminate use of military force against civilians, hostage taking, and other violations of international humanitarian law.

We believe it is imperative to reach a ceasefire without delay, to open humanitarian corridors in order to avoid further casualties, and to provide necessary assistance to the impacted civilians. We call for enhanced efforts to shape the conditions necessary for resuming the comprehensive negotiating process between the Palestinians and Israelis as soon as possible. Clearly, it is not an easy thing to do at this point, but as soon as a ceasefire is achieved, we will push for resuming direct talks on the creation of an independent Palestinian state as outlined in the UN Security Council resolutions within the 1967 borders, which would coexist with Israel in peace and security.

We touched upon the situation in Syria and the surrounding region. In particular, we discussed Damascus’ return to the Arab League and the importance of supporting this positive decision with practical actions to improve the situation on the ground.

We reaffirmed our principled stance in support of a comprehensive Syrian settlement based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254 which calls for preserving Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Russia provided information about its efforts to promote a unifying agenda in the Gulf region. This matter was discussed in July 2023 when we hosted a meeting with the participation of all GCC ministers. We held a ministerial meeting as part of the strategic dialogue. We welcome the normalisation of relations between Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, as it creates a basis for developing collective trust mechanisms and promoting various forms of cooperation.

We expressed gratitude to our Kuwaiti friends for their measured and objective stance on the situation in Ukraine and related developments. I reiterated our fundamental approaches to conflict resolution. While these approaches are well-known, we don’t see any political will in the West or in Kiev to achieve a sustainable and genuinely just peace. Our approaches aim to ensure such a peace while fully taking into account the security interests of the Russian Federation and the people who have lived in these territories for centuries. These approaches are well-known.

I would like to thank my colleague for a productive and candid exchange of opinions.

Question: There has been public discussion in recent days about an Israeli plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt and Canada. It envisions three stages: setting up tent camps in Sinai, creating humanitarian corridors for evacuation, and building permanent settlements beyond the settlement line. What can you say about these ingenious plans?

Sergey Lavrov: I haven’t heard anything about Canada, but I’m not surprised by anything that has been reported about Ottawa’s stance or actions lately.

I haven’t heard anything about this plan specifically. There are many ideas out there, each of which aims to delay (if not bury) the UN Security Council resolution on creating a Palestinian state.

The Egyptians have publicly stated that they strongly disagree with the idea of resolving the Palestinian issue through resettling the Palestinians on the Sinai Peninsula. This clearly goes against the interests of the Palestinians and Egyptians, as well as the efforts to establish peace in the region.

We view plans to destroy the prospects for creating a Palestinian state and to doom the Palestinians to perpetual statelessness with great concern. Such plans will not bring peace or security to the region; instead, they would entrench the conflict. It won’t go too deep, but more “grapes of wrath” will be sown that will quickly sprout.

Coming together and agreeing on ways to implement the UN Security Council resolution would be a better alternative to contemplating reckless adventures. This is the way forward to ensure peace and security in this complex and explosive region.

Question: What is Russia’s stance regarding the future of Gaza? What Russian initiatives are in the works, including internationally?

Sergey Lavrov: I made it clear in my opening remarks that putting an end to the bloodshed, achieving a ceasefire, and addressing humanitarian issues are the number one priority. Following that, the international community should pool its efforts and have Israel and the Palestinians resume direct talks without delay. These talks can only be based on the internationally recognised legal framework established by the UN Security Council and the General Assembly resolutions, as well as previous agreements between the parties. This is the only way to overcome this challenge.

It is not about Gaza, but the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The Palestinian state is an indispensable part of the solution. To reiterate, everything else raises significant doubts and concerns with us.

With regard to the initiatives, we have presented and continue to present relevant proposals at the UN Security Council, which are primarily aimed at achieving a ceasefire, addressing humanitarian issues, and securing the release of hostages. We engage in practical work in our daily contacts with Israelis, Egyptians, and Palestinians, both here and in the region.

Today, we discussed the initiatives that will be implemented in the coming days, including the Arab League and Arab-African summits on Gaza.

When reviewing a specific conflict, we invariably rely on the decisions, opinions, and assessments provided by regional countries. In this particular case, it will be crucial for us to know the unanimous opinion (I’m confident they will come up with one opinion) of the Arab world. We will do our best to support the countries of the region as they move forward their plans and initiatives. We place full trust in them when it comes to ensuring peace and stability. We will support the Arab solution to this most challenging issue.