Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov believes that security issues in Europe can be explained by NATO expansion in the region. He stated this at the opening ceremony of the high-level dialogue along the Asia-Europe forum on the topic “25th anniversary of Asem: strengthening partnership between Asia and Europe in the transforming world.” His performance is published on the Foreign Ministry website.
The Minister recalled that last year there was a thirty anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Charter – a document that was to lead to a reduction in weapons in the European territory. “Unfortunately, this agreement remained only on paper, and in the reality of NATO continues to expand further east,” recognized Lavrov.
Diplomat concluded that Moscow hopes that international participants will comply with the agreements on security and cooperation, taking into account the “specifics” of different countries. In his opinion, it is only so possible to solve a number of major regional problems: for example, questions around the Korean Peninsula and Middle Eastern conflicts.
On May 26, the Vice-Speaker of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev also stated that Western countries should launch dialogue mechanisms and return “to the principles of Helsinki”: that is, peaceful coexistence. In addition, he called on to determine the red lines, which begins interference in the internal affairs.