Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, emphasized the necessity of non-interference by foreign actors in Gulf security during a joint meeting of the foreign and defense ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in Moscow. Lavrov stated that such interference not only harms the resolution of existing problems in the region but also prevents trust-building among the countries in the region.
Need for Regional Cooperation
The Russian Foreign Minister, referring to the importance of continuous contacts with Gulf countries, stressed the necessity of establishing cooperation mechanisms among these countries. He stated that Iran and Arab monarchies must establish a working interaction to achieve stability and sustainable security in the region.
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Lavrov also referred to the update of Moscow's proposal for ensuring security in the Gulf, saying: "These countries must prioritize trust-based and transparent actions in the military domain. This will benefit all countries in the region to prevent foreign interference." He added that unfortunately, foreign actors currently play a destructive role in the Gulf, and the situation in this region is far from a complete resolution of issues.
Agenda of Abu Dhabi Negotiations
Continuing, Lavrov referred to the agenda of the trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi, which were initiated to resolve the Ukraine conflict, stating: "The formulation of specific criteria for the future security architecture is on the agenda of these negotiations." He added that this process is logical and should address the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The Russian Foreign Minister noted that the Ukraine conflict began due to this country’s failure to adhere to collective security agreements signed in 2014. Lavrov also criticized Europe, stating that the continent's efforts to establish a ceasefire are merely aimed at buying time for Ukraine and rebuilding its military capacity.
Prospects for Cooperation with Armenia
In response to another question about the situation in Armenia and the possibility of this country exiting the Collective Security Treaty Organization, he stated that Yerevan has not yet submitted an official request to leave this organization and the Eurasian Economic Union. He emphasized that Armenia will maintain its right to ensure collective security within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, even if it is deprived of its voting rights in this organization due to overdue debts.
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