Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at the fourth meeting of the United Russia Party General Council Commission for International Cooperation and Support for Compatriots Abroad, Moscow, October 7, 2022

Good afternoon, colleagues.

Many of the Commission members are now in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, where United Russia is holding an international inter-party conference, New Environmental Policy and Sustainable Development. This largely determines the topic of today’s meeting: we are discussing relations among political parties in terms of their efforts to promote security in the Asia-Pacific Region, including environmental security, which is becoming an increasingly important objective.

Today, the centre of gravity in international politics and economics is undergoing an irreversible shift from the Euro-Atlantic to Eurasia and the APR. Developing relations with countries in this region in various formats is a major constant among our foreign policy priorities. It is with satisfaction that I note that despite the attempts by the collective West to isolate Russia and exclude us from regional processes, the overwhelming majority of states represented here have demonstrated their firm commitment to maintaining constructive and multi-faceted cooperation with us. We have been consistent in advocating an architecture of equal and indivisible security, as well as steady socioeconomic development for this part of the world. I am certain that preserving and reinforcing open, inclusive interstate cooperation formats is key to achieving these objectives.

We support efforts to align the capabilities and potential of countries forming various Eurasian multilateral associations, including the EAEU, the SCO and ASEAN. We stand for promoting strong, complementary ties among them and working together on a unifying agenda, as well as harmonising projects, in particular, as part of the EAEU’s plans and China’s Belt and Road Initiative. As you know, this is the purpose of President Vladimir Putin’s initiative to create a Greater Eurasian Partnership. We see it as a wide-reaching integration contour for promoting pan-continental cooperation. Russia, as well as most of our partners, will never accept any attempts to exert external pressure on us, or to carry out concepts in the APR which drive us apart, such as the Indo-Pacific Strategy that Washington seeks to impose. It clearly targets China and is designed to isolate Russia by setting up exclusive military blocs and gradually dismantling the universal cooperation mechanisms existing in the region.

On the subject on environmental security, we cannot ignore the debates on the possible use of nuclear weapons which have been gaining ground recently. We cannot stay silent in the face of the Kiev regime’s reckless undertakings, which create risks related to the use of various kinds of WMDs.

The special military operation has revealed a few alarming facts, including illegal military biological programmes at Pentagon-installed labs, as well as experiments with the creation of prohibited chemicals. The most dangerous artillery strikes on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant continue as well.

Yesterday, Vladimir Zelensky called on his Western handlers to take a pre-emptive nuclear strike against Russia. This character actually gave the world further evidence of the threat emanating from the Kiev regime. It is to neutralise that very threat that the special military operation was launched. Any attempts Mr Zelensky’s secretaries are making to assure us that he meant something different are just ridiculous. We all remember him saying as far back as in February that Ukraine desired to possess nuclear weapons. That means he deeply embraced this idea quite a long time ago.

His “soul friends” in Poland recently reaffirmed that they had the same dreams of acquiring nuclear weapons. So far, at this stage, Warsaw wants to join NATO’s practice of conducting joint nuclear missions, which grossly violate the requirements of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

What about NATO? In addition to its lies and threats against us, the alliance, together with the EU, continues to reiterate its all-out support for Zelensky, who is at the forefront of Ukraine’s “struggle for European values, freedom and democracy.” The Ukrainian President, as well as his regime, has obviously started to enjoy the situation and is trying to dictate his terms to the North Atlantic bloc and the EU. This summer, Zelensky pointed out that NATO should give Ukraine a place in the common security space. But his appetite is growing. Echoing him, the head of his Executive Office, Andrey Yermak, said Ukraine should become an axis around which a new security system is to be built in Europe. Last month, Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba also said that it was NATO that should join Ukraine, and not vice versa. Such slogans and ambitions are falling on fertile ground.

The European Political Community, proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron, held its inaugural summit on Thursday. Head of EU diplomacy Josep Borrell proudly stated in its wake that the process of forming a security structure has been launched without Russia. They are dancing to Kiev’s tune and encouraging the insane fantasies of the people who are still in power there. The United States and its allies are taking on enormous responsibility for the dangerous ratcheting up of international tensions, pumping weapons into Vladimir Zelensky’s Ukraine despite his openly proclaimed nuclear ambitions.

As you remember, French President Emmanuel Macron once diagnosed the North Atlantic Alliance with “brain death.” Judging by the way NATO is nurturing the neo-Nazi regime in Kiev, this “disease” has gone too far.             

Once again, we warn the United States and other sponsors of the Kiev regime against deeper involvement in the situation as parties to the conflict.

As has been repeatedly explained, Russia’s Military Doctrine and the Fundamentals of State Policy on Nuclear Deterrence remain unchanged. Any attempts by Washington or its vassals to distort this reality or our approach are aimed at intimidating the international community, forcing its sensible part to follow the failed path of reckless support for Kiev in all its crazy schemes.

Colleagues,

Today, as the global situation is becoming more tense, it is necessary to consolidate the efforts of all those who can make a real contribution to improving it. I would like to emphasise the growing significance of interaction between political parties and associations. Flexibility, a salient feature of party and parliamentary diplomacy, is an important asset during the everyday work of foreign policy agencies. I am satisfied to note that United Russia, the leading political force of this country, is making a major contribution to these efforts. United Russia has managed to establish partner-like ties with dozens of parties and movements, including those in the Asia Pacific Region.

I would like to single out cooperation between United Russia and the Communist Party of China within the framework of inter-party dialogue mechanisms and the forum of both countries’ ruling parties. These contacts make it possible to chart joint approaches towards resolving a wide range of issues and to exchange the best practices in law-making and public administration, including in the environmental sphere.

We are interested in expanding cooperation with our Chinese friends in various energy sectors, including oil and gas, nuclear, hydrogen, solar and wind energy. We are mutually interested in cooperation aiming to preserve major rivers, to reclaim forests and soils, to develop new environmentally friendly building standards, to introduce water and air purification systems, and to jointly manufacture electric cars.

Party and inter-society dialogue can also play a useful role in promoting Russian-Indian cooperation in facilitating environmental safety and in other spheres, all the more so as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party obviously aims to conduct this dialogue. Acting on the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party is involved in implementing the large-scale Clean India programme. Cooperation and experience sharing in protecting the biodiversity of rare and endangered species deserve special mention in our dialogue with partners in New Delhi. I would like to mention the Indian side’s fruitful involvement in the 2nd International Tiger Conservation Forum on September 5, 2022 in Vladivostok.

Together with our Mongolian colleagues, we are interested in finding effective solutions to issues related to building hydroelectric power stations along the transboundary rivers we share. This used to concern only the Selenga River basin, since this is the only water source feeding Lake Baikal. Recently though, the Russian public has been increasingly alarmed by the project to build a major reservoir in the middle reaches of the Uldza River. Our specialists believe that this could upend its natural hydrological conditions and threaten the Torey Lakes ecosystem in the Trans-Baikal Territory. Just like Baikal, these lakes are UNESCO natural heritage sites. During the conversation on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum on September 7, 2022, President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister of Mongolia Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene agreed on the need to continue bilateral expert consultations on the environmental aspects of these Mongolian projects and the opportunities for Russia to join them. Safeguarding the environment of Lake Baikal and the nearby Russian regions remains a high priority for us.

Environment protection is also high on the agenda in the dialogue with our ASEAN partners, including Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, and Malaysia. Our colleagues prioritise environment protection initiatives in national parks and marine reserves for preserving forests and marine fauna, as well as offering methodological and practical support for the wildlife study centres that are being created.

Taking into consideration the policies of the APR countries to promote eco-friendly renewable power plants, we can share Russia’s experience and practices in this sphere, including on merging green power plants into the national power grid.

On a special note, I would like to emphasise that Russia is working with like-minded developing countries to balance efforts to fight climate change with socioeconomic development goals. We oppose efforts to impose restrictions on fossil fuel use or to discriminate against one energy source or another for the sake of cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

We call for sustainably managing forests and other land ecosystems in connection with their ability to capture greenhouse gas emissions. We proceed from the premise that measures to allow ecosystems to capture more emissions are just as important as cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Colleagues,

As we step up our cooperation on environmental matters with our APR partners, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to empowering businesses and young people to join these efforts. It is satisfying to note that they, in turn, have also been eager to participate, as demonstrated during sessions at the Eastern Economic Forum on the socioeconomic aspects of environmental policies and striking a balance between the environment and the energy sector as we develop Russia’s Far East with the help of volunteers.

I am certain that today’s meeting will help devise new recommendations to make our efforts even more effective across the board.