Briefing of A.K. Lukashevich, the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, November 8, 2012

On the upcoming visit of the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the South Africa to Russia
 

Mrs. Nkoana-Mashabane, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the South Africa will attend the Russian Federation with working visit on November 11-13.

Her meeting with S.V. Lavrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation will be held on November 12. It is planned to discuss the number of issues of bilateral, regional and international agenda during the conversation. Interaction of Russia and the Republic of South Africa within BRICS, including preparation to the next summit of the "five" in Durban in March, 2013 will be in focus of attention.

M. Nkoana-Mashabane will take part in the 11th meeting of the Russian-South African Joint Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation as co-chairman on November 13. The Russian delegation will be headed by S.Ye. Donskoy, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, who is the co-chairman of the Committee.

The upcoming visit of M. Nkoana-Mashabane to Moscow is called in practical way to confirm the high level of diverse Russian-South African partnership.

To ministerial meeting of Russia - CCASG strategic dialogue

The second ministerial meeting of the strategic dialogue Russia - Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (CCASG) will take place in Riyadh on November 14. The Russian delegation will be headed by S.V. Lavrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. We hope that this forum will be effective, will give new positive impulse to political and business cooperation with member countries of CCASG, will allow for a comprehensive "time check" on key issues of international and regional agenda, including the Syrian range of problems and collective security assurance in the Persian Gulf.

Bilateral contacts of S.V. Lavrov with the administration of Saudi Arabia are also planned "on the sidelines" of the ministerial meeting, when it is supposed to discuss topical questions of Russian-Saudi relations and prospects for their further strengthening and development in various areas with more active use of existing potential.

On presidential elections in the USA

We kept a sharp lookout for the election campaign in the USA, which remained tense until the voting final. Re-election of President B. Obama, who has done a lot for the development of relations between our countries in the preceding four years, creates favorable conditions for the expansion of bilateral cooperation. For our part, we are ready for constructive collaboration, including international security assurance, extension of the Russian-American trade and investment relations and contacts between people.

At the same time these elections showed again that the election system of the USA formed two centuries ago, in many ways does not meet modern democratic standards. This, in particular, relates to indirect election of the President by the Electoral College, disenfranchisement of a large number of Americans, lack of the unified register of voters and all-federal system of vote counting.

The proper observation of elections is very urgent issue. As it is known, in Texas, local authorities, in violation of the international obligations of the USA refused to allow the representatives of the OSCE monitoring mission to be present at the electoral districts, threatening them with arrest. The same situation was in number of other states. Moreover the State Department protected such approach, though Washington requires absolute access of foreign observers to the places of voting in other countries.

In other words, the election system of the USA is far from standard, as it is represented by the American politicians who gladly criticize many other countries for deficiencies in democracy development, but prefer not to notice their own obvious defects.

On conference of the Syrian opposition in Doha

We keep track of conference of the Syrian opposition which takes place these days in Qatar capital.

The event, which involves although not all the opposition, but rather wide range of opposition groups and figures, has not finished yet. Its results have yet to be analyzed. Thus the main criterion for estimation of this and other similar meetings shall be a willingness of participants to unite on the platform of peaceful settlement of the Syrian crisis by the Syrians themselves without foreign intervention, through dialogue and negotiations, as provided in the communique of the Geneva meeting of the "Action Group" dated June 30 of this year.

The compelling stand of Russia in favor of exactly such solution algorithm for the internal conflict in the SAR was clearly confirmed during the recent visit of S.V. Lavrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Middle East and his contacts with the leaders of the region countries and broad range of politicians, including Syrian oppositioners.

We will continue active work both with the SAR government and with all opposition forces in order to assist early cease of bloodshed and any violence in this country. In addition I shall emphasise once again, that the present priority is not to indulge someone's political ambitions, but to save human lives, to vigorously strive for turn of destructive confrontation towards the political process when the warring parties in Syria sit down at the negotiating table.

On humanitarian situation in Syria

Trends in the development of the humanitarian situation in Syria raise serious concerns. Bloodshed continues and victims among peaceful population multiply every day.

According to the latest estimation of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), the number of persons who are in need of humanitarian assistance is close to 3 million people and in the coming months it can grow up to 4 million people because of the cold winter and escalation of violence.

According to data of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees Rights, number of registered refugees to neighbor countries has already exceeded 360 thousand people (Jordan - 106 thousand, Lebanon - 102 thousand, Turkey - 101 thousand, Iraq - 45 thousand, North Africa countries - 8 thousand.). The increase up to 710 thousand is expected by the end of the year. In addition, number of temporary displaced persons (TDP) inside Syria amounts to 1.2 million people who in search of places of residence occupy schools, unfinished buildings and settle in city parks.

Health care system, housing, transport and energy infrastructures are destroyed due to military conflicts. 29% of public hospitals are destroyed in the country according to the UN estimates. More than 2000 schools are destroyed the same quantity is occupied by temporary displaced persons.

Russia supports the activities of the specialized international organizations of the UN system which provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Syria and coordinate such activities, as well as work closely with the Syrian government to facilitate their access to the problem regions of the country. In this case, we work to ensure that such assistance is distributed evenly among all sections of the population in need.

In the tideway of its compelling stand Russia has made special-purpose contributions to the budgets of the International Committee of the Red Cross - 2 million Swiss francs, to the World Food Program - 4.5 million U.S. dollars and to the UNOCHA - 1.5 million U.S. dollars to finance humanitarian assistance to Syria. The issue of the allocation of large contribution according to the UN WFP line for 2013 is discussed currently.

In addition, we actively help the Syrian people through bilateral channels. So, from March to October of this year four aircrafts of the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters with cargo of Russian humanitarian assistance for the people of Syria, including the necessaries, food products, baby food, tents, blankets, kitchen utensils, furniture, medicines and medical equipment were delivered to Damascus.

I shall emphasize that in any case difficult humanitarian situation in the SAR is worsened by unilateral economic sanctions and restrictions on Syria, imposed by individual countries and regional organizations beyond the UN Security Council. Such measures adversely affect the humanitarian situation in the country and further complicate the lives of the civilian population.

We believe that the improvement of the difficult humanitarian situation in Syria is possible only through the political settlement. We will continue to make efforts at all levels to immediately cease violence in the SAR and launch inter-Syrian national dialogue on the basis of the agreements reached in Geneva during the ministerial meeting of the "Action Group" on Syria on June 30 of this year.

On situation involving family of A.A. Zavgorodnyaya, the Russian citizen living in Finland

Due to bulk of unconfirmed and biased information in mass media about the situation involving the family of A.A. Zavgorodnyaya, the Russian citizen living in Finland, I would like to remind that the problem with the outtake of children from her family was and is under constant surveillance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Russian Embassy in Finland.

We ensured that Russian consular officers were present at the meetings of A.A. Zavgorodnyaya with Finnish social authorities, thus greatly contributing to the situation settlement: she was first allowed to live together with her baby in one of the Finnish Centers for Social Protection, then to communicate with the other children at the same place. On October 25 of this year she was allowed to take all her children home, although the family is still under the supervision of social workers and shall spend several weeks at the Center for Social Services. Thus, the program of the family rehabilitation was started.

November 7 of this year A.A. Zavgorodnyaya really appealed to the Russian Embassy in Helsinki, with the requirement to provide a car to move to Russia with her family or asylum in the Embassy. Motivation is that the Finnish social services are going to take away her children again.

Embassy officers immediately contacted the social services, which gave the unambiguous assurances that there were no plans of children outtake, contrary to existing agreements on family reunification. We hope that the rehabilitation program for the family which experienced a lot will be continued, and all the parties involved will show restraint and good will.

We all remember when in May 2009 the officer of Consulate General of Finland in St. Petersburg S. Pietilyaynen on the car with diplomatic plates illegally transported from Russia to Finland Anton Salonen, the Russian citizen of minority age and Paavo Salonen his father, Finn, who violently stole son from his Russian mother. These actions, that roughly violated Russian and Finnish legislation as well as rules of international law, shall remain for a full due of Mr. S. Pietilyaynen and administration of the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs of that time. We shall remind that smuggler diplomatic official was not brought to responsibility.

This case is dangerous also because people may get deceptive impression - once precedent is created, it is possible to act like this in the future.

But it is unacceptable to act like this. The Russian diplomatic service protects and will protect – tough if necessary - the rights of the Russian citizens, using all lawful, I stress again, lawful means within the legal framework.

The Russian Embassy in Finland is ready to assist A.A. Zavgorodnyaya in the reissuance of Russian documents, which according to her words had been stolen from her apartment, and in the preparation of documents for the children who do not yet have neither Russian nor Finnish passport (all children are the citizens of Finland, and three of them have Russian citizenship). The procedure of preparation of documents was explained to her during her visit to the Embassy on November 7 of this year, but the Embassy has not received yet any relevant appeals from family of A.A. Zavgorodnyaya.

On developments on the vessel with Russian crew seized in Nigeria

The Ministry of foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Russian Embassy in Nigeria continue actively strive for early release of a vessel "Myre Seadiver" with the Russian crew, seized on October 19 of this year in Lagos port.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation invited to Moscow the Ambassador of Nigeria who was announced on the inadmissibility of the current situation, especially since the Russian sailors, as confirmed by the facts performed all the necessary formalities through a local agency company to obtain entry clearance for "Myre Seadiver" in Nigerian territorial waters. In this regard, the Nigerian party is proposed to take comprehensive measures for the early release of the vessel with the Russians.

According to information of the Russian Embassy in Nigeria, the Russian sailors are on board the vessel. They are in good health and have all the things needed.

Answers to mass media questions:

Question: Today it became known that the Turkish authorities landed on its territory the second, this time the Armenian board, to inspect and seize the cargo. Do you know any details? In this regard, please clarify the situation around the Russian cargo seized by Turkey. Is there any progress in the investigation of actions of the Turkish authorities?

Answer: As for the first part of the question I will specially ask the Armenian colleagues about the details of the incident.

As for the investigation of the known incident of seizure of the Syrian liner with cargo in Turkey, so far there is no more information - negotiations continue. We still expect to receive the clear reasons for seizure of the Russian cargo for the SAR from our Turkish colleagues and to decide its destiny. You are aware that the Turkish authorities refused to issue the receipt of its seizure to the captain.

Question: Could you comment on the message that appeared in some Japanese mass media reporting that Y. Noda, the Prime Minister of Japan cancelled his visit to Moscow allegedly at the initiative of the Russian party?

Answer: I am surprised to hear that, we will recheck. Please specify, whether there were official statements made by the Japanese government or by the press service of the Japanese Prime Minister on cancellation of the visit or this is mass media speculation?

For my part, I would like to remind you that during the Russian-Japanese summit meeting "on the sidelines" of the Summit of the "Group of Twenty" in Los Cabos (Mexico) on June 18 of this year V.V. Putin, the President of the Russian Federation, talking to Y. Noda, the Japanese Prime Minister, gave him an invitation to pay an official visit to Russia. In addition, the Russian head of state confirmed his willingness to meet Y. Mori, the former Japanese Prime Minister, the Member of the House of Representatives and the Chairman of the Association of Japan Parliament Members for friendship with Russia.

As far as it is known, currently the specific dates of visits of Y. Noda and Y. Mori are being agreed with Japanese party through diplomatic channels. We expect that they will take place in the coming months.

Question: The Secretary-General of NATO A. Fogh Rasmussen recently said that the "renewed" mission of NATO in Afghanistan after 2014 will not need sanctions of the UN Security Council and it will be able to be present in the IRA only by invitation of Afghan administration. How would you comment on this statement from the point of view of international law?

Answer: First of all, it is necessary to specify what exactly the NATO Secretary-General has said.

Secondly, I would like to draw your attention to a number of statements of Sergey Lavrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation made on this subject recently. The idea is that the administration of NATO and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan consider the mission to be accomplished. If so, ISAF shall report about it to the UN Security Council, which issued the mandate to carry out the tasks in the IRA. As for "reformatting in a new mission", as far as we know, alliance only discusses goals, objectives and format of the future field operation and prospects of its launch. In addition, the question that has not yet been clarified by the American party remains: on what basis and for what purpose will the large military commitment and fortified bases of the USA remain in a number of provinces in Afghanistan? If the mission is considered to be accomplished and taking into account the withdrawal of troops why do defended posts remain in the IRA?

Thirdly, the updated NATO Strategic Concept says that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in its actions shall be based on the principles of international law, respect the UN Charter. In this regard, the direct obligation of the alliance is to obtain the correspondent permission from the UN Security Council to take any actions outside their geographical area of responsibility. These are copybook maxims which are regulatory set in the conceptual guidelines of NATO. We hope that it will be considered as it is referred to the decisions made at the top level.

Question: Returning to the subject of the Russian-Japanese relations, we would like to clarify: did we understand correctly that the visits of the former Japanese Prime Minister Y. Mori and the current Prime Minister Y. Noda may take place in the coming months?

Answer: Exactly. We expect this.

Question: As it was officially announced, Y. Noda initially planned his visit on December, i.e. till the end of this year.

Answer: According to the initial information the visit could have taken place before the end of this year. We still expect proposals of specific dates from Japan.

Question: So, the Russian party is ready to receive a visit from the Prime-Minister?

Answer: I shall repeat the Prime-Minister of Japan was given the official invitation. He shall define the dates. We would like it to happen as soon as possible. We are also ready to receive a visit from Y. Mori, the former Prime-Minister of Japan in Moscow.