20
October 201618:50
1937-20-10-2016
- Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov’s meeting with participants in the international
conference “Middle East: Trends and Prospects”
- Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov’s meeting with members of the European Business Association in
Russia on October 25
- Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov’s participation in the meeting of the Council of the Heads of
Constituent Entities of the Russian Federation at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs
- Sergey Lavrov’s appearance at a
Valdai Club meeting
- Answers to media questions.
On
October 20, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will meet with Russian and foreign
participants in the international conference “Middle East: Trends and
Prospects” organised by the Yevgeny Primakov Centre for Foreign
Policy Cooperation jointly with the Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund
and the Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Oriental Studies.
The
participants plan to discuss developments in the Middle East and North Africa
with an emphasis on the situation in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen, as well as
on the Middle East settlement.
On
October 25, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will speak at a meeting with members
of the European Business Association in Russia. Meetings in this format have
been held once every two years (the latest meeting took place in October
2014) and have already become a good tradition, allowing entrepreneurs to join
the discussion of priority topics in Russia’s dialogue with European partners.
The
meeting will be devoted to the urgent issue of the current state of relations
between Russia and the European Union and their prospects.
After
making his remarks, the foreign minister will answer questions from the
audience.
On
October 26, Sergey Lavrov will chair the 28th meeting of the
Council of the Heads of Constituent Entities of the Russian Federation at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The
main goal of this body is to help the regions to participate more effectively
in promoting Russia’s external interests. It was established in 2003 by order
of the President of the Russian Federation. It includes the heads of
constituent entities of the Russian Federation (one from every federal district)
and representatives of the Presidential Executive Office, federal ministries
and agencies. The council’s meetings are held whenever necessary but at least
once every six months.
Topics
at this meeting will include the participation of Russian regions in promoting
Russian higher education and consolidating the positions of the Russian
language abroad, support for inter-academic cooperation with foreign
educational institutions, and measures to enhance the role of the
humanitarian dimension in the current agreements of Russian regions with their
foreign partners and to involve the regions in implementing the programmes
aimed at preserving education in Russian in areas with compact Russian
populations. Speakers at the meeting include the governors of the Astrakhan,
Bryansk and Novosibirsk regions, the Stavropol Territory, the Khanty- Mansiysk
Autonomous Area–Yugra, and representatives of the Presidential Executive
Office, different ministries and agencies, and the Federal Agency for the
Commonwealth of Independent
States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International
Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo).
Relevant
final recommendations to the Russian regions, federal ministries and agencies
will be adopted following the meeting.
On
October 27, Sergey Lavrov will speak at a meeting of the Valdai International
Discussion Club.
We
believe that at difficult moments in international affairs similar to what we
are going through today, dialogue should be intensified rather than curtailed.
We have never declined substantive, honest discussions with our partners,
including on the most complicated and controversial issues.
It
is hard to overestimate the role of the Valdai format, a respected discussion
venue, which contributes to the search for the best answers to a host of
contemporary challenges and threats, and to forecasting key global trends. The
intellectual rigor that characterises the Club’s activities has earned it
respect both in our country and abroad. The cornerstone of its success is its
invariably extensive programme and fairly representative body of participants
including prominent statespersons and politicians, and members of the academic
and expert communities from Russia and foreign countries.
The
minister will share his vision of the current situation in international
affairs and answer audience questions.
The situation in Syria
The
situation in Syria remains extremely tense, and Aleppo still faces dire
circumstances. In the eastern part of the city, government troops continue to
besiege a considerable force of armed extremists, including Jabhat al-Nusra
terrorists and affiliated groups. Illegal armed groups are focusing on
defending their positions, as well as on attempts to reinforce and unblock
their allies.
We
are still hearing from Western politicians and media a highly critical and
groundless rhetoric against Russia regarding the humanitarian situation in
eastern Aleppo. I would like to emphasise specifically that the difficult
situation we see in Aleppo is the result of the failure by the US to deliver on
its commitments under the September 9 agreements between Russia and the US to
ensure a cessation of hostilities in Syria. The US failed to persuade the armed
opposition to withdraw from Castello Road, which would have provided
humanitarian access to civilians trapped by the militants. Nothing was done to
separate the so-called moderate opposition forces from ISIS and Jabhat
al-Nusra.
Those
who had voiced so many misgivings over the humanitarian situation in eastern
Aleppo are simply unwilling to see the suffering of the people in the city’s
western part, which is controlled by the Syrian Government. Meanwhile, illegal
armed groups continue to target residential areas in Aleppo, Damascus and a
number of other communities in Syria with indiscriminate rocket and mortar
attacks. Only in the last couple of days, the following districts in western
Aleppo came under rocket and mortar fire: Hamdania, Manshiya and Sulaymaniyah,
where several shells exploded near a maternity hospital.
Civilians,
including women, children and people with disabilities, are being killed every
day in indiscriminate attacks by extremists and subversive operations against
key civilian infrastructure. Let me remind you that the deterioration of the
humanitarian situation in Syria is to a large extent attributable to unilateral
sanctions imposed by the US, European countries and a number of other states
against the Syrian Arab Republic. Let me also remind you that without approval
from the UN Security Council, these sanctions are illegal.
For
its part, Russia believes that ordinary Syrians, facing hardship and death, no
matter in what part of Aleppo they are, should not be set in opposition to each
other. Urgent and efficient measures must be taken to bring assistance to all
those in Syria who need it, regardless of their beliefs or political
preferences.
So
far, we have been getting the impression that, except for Russia, the UN and a
small group of countries, no one has been willing to contribute to addressing
the humanitarian challenges that Syrians face. In a number of Aleppo districts,
the Russian military continues to run centres that offer civilians hot meals
and living essentials. In the Aleppo, Quneitra, Latakia, Tartus and Hama
provinces, as well as in Damascus and its suburbs, humanitarian aid has been
distributed, including bread, flour, sugar, rice, tea, canned meat and fish.
At
10 am on October 18, the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Syrian air force
ceased theeir airstrikes against rebels in Aleppo in anticipation of the
humanitarian pause, which will last from 8 am until 7 pm on October 20. Please
note that the Russian Ministry of Defence provides daily updates on this
matter.
This
unilateral action is intended, among other things, to facilitate humanitarian
access to city residents and enable people to leave the blocked districts,
should they wish to do so.
The
Defence Ministry’s website offers a live webcast from four surveillance cameras
installed in the western segment of Castello Road and at the Masharka
checkpoint, as well as from UAV-mounted cameras along corridors leading from
Aleppo.
We
are already receiving alarming reports of terrorists opening fire on the
humanitarian corridor near the Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood. According to
preliminary reports, six mines exploded there in the morning of October 20, and
small arms were used to fire at the checkpoint.
We
hope that the outside parties with a capacity to influence armed opposition
groups will use this opportunity to persuade them to force Jabhat al-Nusra
terrorists out of eastern Aleppo.
Meanwhile,
residents in the Nusra-held district of Al-Qattana in eastern Aleppo have held
a rally to demand that they be able to leave to western Aleppo unhindered.
Against
this backdrop, the Syrian authorities persist in their efforts to prepare for a
possible evacuation of civilians and members of illegal armed groups from
eastern Aleppo. The Syrian Government has confirmed that it is ready to
guarantee safe passage from eastern Aleppo to all, including militants, so that
they can lay down arms or leave for other Syrian regions of their choosing.
In
the Hama province, having liberated Maan the Syrian Army seeks to expand its
successful drive. The head and members of the so-called Sharia court of the
Jund al-Aqsa group were killed by the Syrian air force in a strike against
Sauran village. That said, not all casualties among the rebels are caused by
the Syrian Army, and sometimes result from internal disagreements and strife
underpinned by a competition to secure funding from external sponsors,
deliveries of arms and equipment, and financial racketeering in contested
areas.
On
October 15, the Syrian armed opposition fighters, with support from the Turkish
military, took control of Dabiq, a town north of Aleppo, liberating it from
ISIS. For ISIS, this was a highly symbolic city, since it was mentioned in a
legendary prophecy that predicted a decisive battle between Muslims and
infidels in this area. The prophecy was recorded by medieval theologians and
was never refuted, but the myth that ISIS will maintain its rule over the
conquered territory has crumbled.
New Zealand’s draft of UN
Security Council resolution on Syria
Currently
the UN Security Council is discussing another draft resolution on Syria, this
time New Zealand’s.
As
we work on this document, we proceed from the need to make it depoliticised and
to orient it to achieving concrete practical results in the context of efforts
to end violence in Syria as soon as possible and to eradicate the terrorist
threat. It is also important that it take into account the current realities on
the ground in the light of Russia and Syria suspending their air operations in
the Aleppo area and the coming into force of a humanitarian pause on October
20.
We
are working to have the draft reflect, aside from the humanitarian component,
the priority of combating the terrorist groups and primarily the need to
separate the forces that claim to be part of the “moderate” opposition from the
terrorists. The document should also exempt the terrorist organisations from
the ceasefire regime.
It
is inadmissible that New Zealand’s draft eventually takes the shape of the
earlier French draft resolution, which grossly distorted reality and was vetoed
by Russia on October 8. This will be another utterly shortsighted attempt by
the same countries to tread on the same rake, if they really wish peace for the
Syrian people and advocate the settlement of the Syrian conflict by the
political and diplomatic methods.
The situation in Iraq
The
Iraqi authorities persist with efforts to restore their control over
territories in western and north-western Iraq seized by the ISIS terrorist
group.
On
October 17, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the beginning of a
military operation to liberate one of the country’s largest cities, Mosul,
which the ISIS terrorists have turned into their stronghold in Iraq. Along with
the regular army units, the operation involves people’s militias and Kurdish
self-defence forces (Peshmerga).
We
support the Iraqi leaders’ resolute steps to fight the ISIS extremism and
assure their country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. At the same time,
we state the importance of protecting the remaining residents and helping those
who have decided to leave during a major military operation in a city with a
1.5-million-strong population. As you may know, the latter are quite numerous.
Simultaneously
we see as counterproductive – and just criminal – the plans to “reroute” the
ISIS militants entrenched in Mosul to Syria, where they would reinforce the
decimated jihadist units fighting against the government forces. This policy is
openly hypocritical and eroding the basis for an uncompromising fight against
international terrorism as coordinated within the framework of the relevant UN
Security Council resolutions.
Developments in Yemen
There
have been some positive changes in the situation in Yemen.
On
October 17, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould
Cheikh Ahmed announced a 72-hour ceasefire from the early hours of October 20.
At this point, all the conflicting parties – government forces and the Arab
coalition led by Saudi Arabia, the Houthis (Ansar Allah) and the supporters of
former President of Yemen Ali Abdullah Saleh – have confirmed their willingness
to join the ceasefire.
We
welcome these plans of the Special Envoy for Yemen. We urge all those who have
decided to join the ceasefire to comply with their commitments strictly and
rigorously. We also hope that this ceasefire will lead to a stable and
indefinite cessation of hostilities, which will not be violated as it happened
before.
We
are convinced that putting an end to civilians’ suffering and ensuring free
humanitarian access remain the top priorities. Simultaneously with ending the
violence, efforts must be taken to resume the process of political settlement
in Yemen. As we said before, such settlement implies finding mutually acceptable
solutions and respecting the interests of all socio-political forces in the
country.
For
its part, Russia will continue to facilitate the search for political and
security compromises in dialogue with various Yemeni and regional parties and
in cooperation with the UN.
Joint report by PAX
and the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons on the use of prohibited
weapons by the United States in Iraq
In
light of the propaganda campaign launched in member-countries of the
Friends of Syria Group over the dramatic humanitarian situation in
eastern Aleppo, whose residents, as we have repeatedly noted, are being held
hostage by terrorists from al-Nusra and other extremist opposition
groups, we suggest that you take note of a joint report by the Dutch peace
organisation PAX and the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons (ICBUW)
on the indiscriminate use of the depleted uranium (DU) weapons during the
US-British intervention in Iraq in 2003. This did not happen in the 19th or
20th century; we are talking about 2003.
The
authors of this report have concluded that US troops violated their own manuals
on DU weapons by using them against non-armoured targets, including enemy
manpower and also near and inside populated areas, thereby posing a direct
threat to civilians. According to various estimates, from 10 to 300 tonnes of
such weapons were used in Iraq; only in 30 percent of those cases the DU
weapons were used against armoured Iraqi vehicles. As a result, vast areas of
Iraq have been polluted. This is just one aspect of the problem. The second
aspect is the consequences of the indiscriminate use of DU weapons on
civilians.
It
is highly indicative that the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons
has revealed at least two cases of the United States using DU weapons against
ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
Unfortunately,
the Western media, which seem to be acting under a political order, pretend not
to notice these facts, both old and new, at the height of the propaganda
campaign over Syria, Russia, and successful operations of the Syrian armed
forces, supported by Russia’s Aerospace Forces, against terrorists and the
opposition militants in Aleppo. Their hands must be busy holding the staged
photographs they are supplied with. This brings us to a legitimate question: Do
you want us to believe that you really care for civilians in Syria? After you
have used depleted uranium weapons against civilians?
The Five Years in Five Days
First Russian Film Festival in Lebanon
We
would like to remind you that on October 24-28, Beirut will host the First
Russian Film Festival in Lebanon entitled “Five Years in Five Days.” The
festival has been organised by Russia’s Buta Films with the support of the
Russian Foreign Ministry, the Lebanese Embassy in Russia, the representative
office of the Federal Agency for the CIS Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad,
and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), and under the
auspices of Lebanon’s Ministry of Culture.
Over
the five days, cinemas in the Lebanese capital will screen the best films by
Russian filmmakers. All screenings will be non-commercial. The films will be
demonstrated in the original with subtitles in English and Arabic.
The closing of RT bank
accounts in the UK
One
more document concluding the opening section concerns the closing of Russia
Today bank accounts in the UK.
As
you may know, we have already responded to the event. We also appreciate the
response by international organisations and the OSCE, which expressed concern
over the clearly politicised approach of the British party to this Russian
media outlet. As it was stated earlier, we sent an official request for
clarification to the United Kingdom and received a response in a note by the UK
Foreign and Commonwealth Office. I have this official document here in front of
me. I would like to note that the letter, of course, states that the situation
is completely different from how we see it – which is a very British thing to
say. But it contains the following phrase: “We (Her Majesty’s Government)
understand that RBS/Natwest are reviewing the situation and are in touch with
the customer to discuss further.”
I
would like to comment as follows. We have also contacted the management of
Russia Today in order to ascertain whether this is true, and here is what we
found out. Of course, we do not have any specific information regarding the
reviewing of the situation by the bank. We could only judge by those leaks and
statements that were given by the bank. I would like to remind you that the
notice Russia Today received said that the decision was final and would not be
reviewed. This is rather intriguing. The sentence I quoted has a part which
says that the bank (according to the official note by the Foreign Office of Her
Majesty’s Government, as they call themselves) is in touch with the customer.
As a matter of fact, the customer, which is Russia Today or a company serving
its interests, is not in touch with the bank. The bank never got in touch with
RT. Whether this is a deliberate move intended to mislead the Russian party or
a mere chance that Her Majesty’s Government allowed somebody – perhaps, the
bank – to mislead itself on this issue, we don’t know. But we would like to
officially announce that nobody from the bank has contacted the management or
the representative office of Russia Today to resolve the problem or to discuss
it, neither in the UK nor in Moscow, neither in writing nor verbally. I am
saying this to give you an idea of what we sometimes have to deal with –
particularly, in our relations with London, and what people allow themselves to
write in official documents. They allow themselves to lie. This is a lie.
Answers
to media questions:
Question: In an interview
with Dmitry Kiselev this week, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said Russia’s
position on Syrian settlement was totally justified as Russia called for united
international efforts and opposed dividing terrorists into bad guys and good
guys. He also said Azerbaijan shared the opinion that the priority now was to
ensure Syria’s territorial integrity and let the Syrian people decide their own
fate. Basically, the Azerbaijani President backed Russia’s position on the
Syrian issue in spite of the Western charges. Could you comment on this?
Maria Zakharova: On what precisely?
Question: Azerbaijan’s
support for Russia on the Syrian issue in spite of the Western criticism.
Maria Zakharova: We believe that the international community’s support for Russia on the Syrian
issue equals a realistic view on the situation in the region. It is, of course,
important for us that all countries should proceed from real facts rather than
from the current media campaign.
Question: Speaking on the
sidelines of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation summit in Yerevan,
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Turkey could play a more constructive role
in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement under certain circumstances. Are
there any plans to encourage Turkey to step up its activities within the OSCE
Minsk Group, where it is a member state? Could Turkey become a co-chair of the
OSCE Minsk Group?
Maria Zakharova: I have no information about any changes in the format of the OSCE Minsk Group’s
work. To be honest, I’ve never heard about any discussions of this kind. I
mean, not in the media but among experts who really deal with this issue.
As
for Turkey’s more pro-active role in the OSCE Minsk Group, members of this
group are indeed welcome to play a constructive role in conflict settlement. I
believe this is exactly what they should be doing – playing a constructive role
and doing it pro-actively if we are talking about constructive contribution to
conflict resolution.
Question: We all know an
operation has been launched to liberate Mosul from ISIS. What is Russia’s
position on this operation? Is Russia going to provide humanitarian aid to
Iraq?
Maria Zakharova: I
think I have fully answered this question when I spoke about our position on
the situation around Mosul. So we can say that I already answered the first
half of your question at the start of the briefing.
I
have also elaborated on the humanitarian situation and possible assistance to
the people of that country. As for humanitarian aid, Russia is certainly aware
of how important it is. If Russia receives an official request, we will be
prepared to consider it. I can add that our country has accumulated a vast and
very positive experience of providing humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees.
Question: Another Russian
citizen was detained in Prague on Tuesday at the request of the US. Is this yet
another episode in the US secret services’ “hunt” for Russian citizens in third
countries? Were any charges brought against the Russian citizen?
Maria Zakharova:
Are you referring to Yevgeny Nikulin?
Question: Yes, he is being
accused of involvement in the hacking attacks.
Maria Zakharova:It is true that this is not the first time an incident of this kind happens
abroad. To answer your question whether this is yet another link in a chain of
similar incidents, my answer is yes. Of course, what happened is another proof
that the US law enforcement agencies are hunting for Russian citizens across
the world. It is unfortunate that we have to use this term so frequently. Instead
of acting along the lines of the bilateral Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in
Criminal Matters (drafted and signed in 1999), the US is doing what it does,
i.e. uses various far-fetched pretexts to hunt down Russian citizens.
I
would like to draw your attention to the fact that over the last twelve months
we have repeatedly offered Washington to hold consultations on fighting
cybercrime. We have discussed this at length during our press briefings and
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov publicly raised this issue and discussed it in
great detail with US Secretary of State John Kerry. However, our US colleagues
always brush such things aside with empty pretexts and formal replies.
The
fact that the US avoids engaging in normal cooperation in law enforcement is
one more proof that its claims against Russia and its citizens are politically
tinged. The Foreign Ministry and Russia’s Embassy in the Czech Republic are
proactively working with the Czech authorities so as to prevent a Russian
citizen from being extradited to the US. We are already working through
diplomatic channels to find a solution, and the Russian citizen is getting the
consular and legal assistance he needs. A lawyer has been provided. Of course,
we will keep an eye on this issue and provide further comments.
Question: Yesterday, Paris
hosted an opening of the Russian Orthodox Spiritual and Cultural Centre. This
new building has diplomatic status and as such benefits from diplomatic
immunity, including a ban on searches and confiscating property. This has become
a matter of concern for security services fearing that wiretapping devices will
be placed there. How would you comment on this issue? The media has dubbed this
building a Trojan horse.
Maria Zakharova: Who has voiced misgivings?
Question: The security services
in Paris, as has been reported recently. Someone has reported that wiretapping
devices will be installed there.
Maria Zakharova: The opening of a cultural centre has given rise to fears that there will be
some goings-on there and some equipment will be installed, etc. However, only a
few days ago, US Vice-President Joe Biden, weary of his own greatness, admitted
outright that the US is preparing a cyberattack or something of that sort
against the Russian Federation. Just to make it clear, if the Vice-President of
the US comes out with a statement like this regarding Russia (I’m not even
talking about the fact that it runs counter to international law and US laws),
this just goes to show what kind of possibilities the US has across the world.
And no one seems to voice any misgivings or emotions over this in Paris. At
least, I have not heard anything of this kind. If global issues like this are
not a matter of concern for Paris, I think they should not worry about anything
else either.
Question: A regular round
of talks between Secretary of State and Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin
and Georgia’s Special Envoy for relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze ended
yesterday. This is the only cooperation format between Russia and Georgia. Can
you tell us about the results of this round? What progress has been made
towards settling Russia-Georgia relations in the absence of diplomatic
relations?
Maria Zakharova:I
would like to say that a commentary on the outcome of these talks was posted on
the ministry’s website yesterday. But I will tell you about it again.
A
regular meeting between Secretary of State and Deputy Foreign Minister of the
Russian Federation Grigory Karasin and Georgia’s Special Envoy for relations
with Russia Zurab Abashidze was held in Prague on October 19. These
consultations were also attended by representatives of the two countries’
transportation authorities.
They
pointed out that following the recent parliamentary elections in Russia and
Georgia, both countries are willing to continue their dialogue on ways to boost
bilateral relations in areas where progress is possible despite the absence of
diplomatic relations, such as trade, transport and culture.
We
see encouraging results of the efforts to normalise our bilateral relations
over the past four years. Bilateral trade increased by 17 percent in January
through September 2016. Russia remains the second largest trade partner for
Georgia and the main market for its wines: this year, Georgian wine deliveries
to Russia went up 36 percent. We hope that the November meeting of Russian and
Georgian business people, which is being sponsored by our countries’ chambers
of commerce and industry, will help further strengthen economic ties between
Russia and Georgia.
The
parties pointed to the continued increase in air and motorway transportation
between Russia and Georgia. The combined passenger flow exceeded 400,000 people
this year. At the same time, practical cooperation between the transport
authorities of our countries has improved.
We
will continue working on visa liberalisation for Georgian citizens. In
particular, the Russian Government is considering visa liberalisation for the
crews of Georgian airlines.
There
is a stable demand for Russian visas in Georgia. On the other hand, a
record-high number of Russian tourists – over one million people – will visit
Georgia this year. I hear nothing but praise for Georgian resorts. Many of my
friends have been there and all of them said they loved it.
Our
growing cultural cooperation includes the participation of Georgian filmmakers
in festivals in Russia and tours by Georgian theatre groups. Russia’s National
Film Foundation Gosfilmofond has started the transfer of the originals of films
made at Gruzia Film Studios to Georgia.
Russia
and Georgia have reaffirmed their resolve to carry on a pragmatic policy of the
gradual normalisation of bilateral relations, which all of us want.
The
next meeting has been scheduled for early 2017.
Question: Can you comment
on the murder of Arseny “Motorola” Pavlov, a commander in the Donetsk Armed
Forces? What do you think about the rumour that the Security Service of Ukraine
(SBU) is controlled by the Americans?
Maria Zakharova: Why
only the SBU? That is, the whole of Ukraine is externally controlled, but the
SBU is not? This doesn’t make sense. Everything in Ukraine is externally
controlled.
Your
question on where and how Pavlov’s murder was planned should be addressed to
the concerned security agencies.
As
for the external control, it takes different forms. We know that foreigners
penetrated the Ukrainian Government as advisers over the past years. Foreign
special services claimed to be consulting Ukraine, whereas in fact they
penetrated the Ukrainian political stage in order to control the processes that
took place there. This penetration was later legalised, and we see foreign
nationals holding ministerial positions in the Ukrainian Government.
I
do not need to remind you that Ukrainian foundations and Ukrainian civil
society are financed by the West. What is this if not external control? It is
what it is. Just look at the number of contacts and “helpful hints” from US
Vice-President Joe Biden. I am sure that he does not call Kiev to urge it to
implement the Minsk Agreements, to launch the long overdue political reform, or
to formalise the special status for Donbass as it was agreed. No, he does not
do this. We see foreign forces micromanaging Ukraine, including – and possibly
above all – its defence, security and law enforcement agencies.
Question: After the meeting
in Berlin, French President Francois Hollande called what is happening in
Aleppo is a war crime. German Chancellor Angela Merkel mentioned criminal
activities and crimes against civilians. Can you comment on the possibility of
sanctions against Russia over the bombing of Syria?
Maria Zakharova: Russia’s
leaders have already commented on this. It appears that sanctions are the only
tool the West has. Well, no, there is one more thing they can do – disrupt life
in countries around the world. First they make life hell and then introduce
sanctions against those who try to solve the problem.
Question: US State
Department spokesperson John Kirby has said in a CNN interview that the United
States does not consider it possible to sit down with Russia to discuss Syria.
Can you comment on this statement?
Maria Zakharova: This
is very funny, because this same State Department official, who said the
Americans are not willing to sit down with Russians, sat down with the Russian
delegation in Lausanne. So I do not know how to comment on this. When we hear
such statements, what are we to make of the fact that a great many telephone
conversations on Syria have been initiated by the US Secretary of States since
October 1? About 60 such conversations have been held in 2016. As you rightly
guessed, 99 percent of them were initiated by the US.
This
makes one wonder what is happening inside the US administration, and how
closely they coordinate things. I have my suspicions about Vice President Joe
Biden’s statements on planning cyberattacks against Russia. I think it would be
interesting if such attacks, if carried out, revealed the details of Russian-US
talks on Syria. After all, mistakes happen, and a cyberattack could target
these documents. If this were to happen, everyone would know who asked what,
who said what, and who asked to keep certain things secret. We are living in
interesting times.
Question: Syrian Deputy
Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Walid Muallem is
expected in Russia in late October. When exactly will he come?
Maria Zakharova: We
do not know the exact date yet. We are still working on Mr Muallem’s visit. As
soon as we have confirmation and the date, we will share this information.
Anyway, it is true that a visit is being discussed.
Question: Can you comment
on the US State Department decision to deny Russian diplomats the right to act
as observers in the US presidential election? What is the reason behind this
decision?
Maria Zakharova: I
think this question is for the US State Department. But it really is a good
question. We will take this into account when assessing the transparency and
democratic character of these elections.
Question: The Clinton
campaign’s communications director has accused Russia of controlling WikiLeaks.
She said that on more than one occasion Russia Today [RT] has actually posted
emails from WikiLeaks even ahead of WikiLeaks. RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita
Simonyan has rejected this statement as false and promised to pass it to the
lawyers. What can you say about the suspicion that Russia controls WikiLeaks?
Maria Zakharova: I
can say that we do not control WikiLeaks. I have taken note of these statements
by the RT chief, and I could not stop thinking that we should probably take the
matter to lawyers and attorneys so as to hear a legal opinion at least once. We
have had enough of this endless stream of lies and nonsense. I think it would
be very good indeed if RT lawyers pursued this matter.
Question: Today at 7 am,
the DPRK carried out yet another launch of a Musudan medium-range ballistic
missile. A medium-range missile of the same class was launched on October 18.
The international community condemned these actions. Do these regular launches
violate UN Security Council resolutions? What is Russia’s position on this
issue?
Maria Zakharova: I do not have any details on today’s launch. I think that our experts are
currently looking into this issue. As soon as I get the details, the Foreign
Ministry will issue a statement and I will answer your question.
At
the end of the day, you know what the Foreign Ministry thinks about it, since
we have explained our position on a number of occasions. The launches carried
out by the DPRK in violation of UN Security Council resolutions should be
condemned internationally for violating international law. This is what we have
been saying all along. As for this specific case, I will provide details once I
receive materials from our experts.
Question: Under what
circumstances could Russia conclude its Syria campaign? What do you expect to
achieve? What must happen for Russia to complete its operations in Syria?
Maria Zakharova: That is a broad question. Russia has articulated its goals, and these
objectives were also set forth in UN Security Council resolutions and
statements, ISSG statements and documents, in the September 9 agreements
between Russia and the US negotiated by the Foreign Ministry and the US
Department of State. Without delving too much into the history or ongoing
global developments, here is what it comes down to: ridding Syria of
international terrorism, launching a political process, and working along these
two tracks under a single road map. We expect to work on these two tracks
together with our partners and colleagues within ISSG and the UN Security
Council, and mobilising the international community. In general terms, here is
how I can answer your question: destroying the terrorist threat that is no
longer a local threat to the Syrian state but a global issue, and facilitating
a political settlement in Syria to provide the country a chance not only to
achieve peace, but also to reaffirm itself as a secular, democratic, unified
country with the rule of law and a stable democracy.
Question: What steps should
be made to improve relations between Poland and Russia? As you know, relations
between the two countries could have been better in recent months.
Maria Zakharova: I am sorry, but I have to answer with a rhetorical question: apart from these
press briefings, have you heard any statements against Poland coming from the
Kremlin, the Government or the Foreign Ministry? Have you heard anything
against Warsaw, about any plans or strategies targeting Poland or which could
be a matter of concern for our colleagues there? The answer is no, because this
has never been the case. We discuss Poland only when a specific issue arises,
for example about cross-border travel or entry by Polish citizens into Russia.
Sometimes we are asked to comment on specific issues. We also discuss Poland
when there are contacts between our respective Foreign Ministries and when we
are asked to comment, most importantly, on certain statements about Russia
coming from Warsaw.
Over
the last two or three weeks Moscow has not made any statements about Warsaw.
Let us now examine this situation from the other side by considering what
Warsaw has been saying during this period about Moscow. Foreign Minister of
Poland Witold Waszczykowski has said so many things. Had he been a historian or
an expert in history, he would have been popular among his followers, while we
would have been free from the obligation to comment on his statements. But he
is the Foreign Minister of your country. Polish Minister of National Defence
Antoni Macierewicz has also made a number of interesting statements. This is
what this problem is all about. Russia does not make any statements regarding
Poland that are offensive, humiliating or inconsistent with reality. If there
are any such statements, we kindly ask you to point us to them, and we will
look into them. I have not seen any such thing. What Poland does week after
week is, if you excuse me, throw mud at us. So who should be the one to improve
our relations? We are ready, but we were not the ones who spoiled them.
Imagine
how Warsaw and people in Poland would react if Russian colleagues of Foreign
Minister Witold Waszczykowski or Minister of National Defence Antoni
Macierewicz said just 5 percent of what Poland had said about Moscow.
Let’s
examine this issue from another perspective. Statements are important, but
there are also practical steps. What did Moscow do in its relations with Poland
that could be interpreted as aggressive? I have not seen any actions of this
kind nor have I heard of any.
It
is important to understand where the problem lies. Overall, we have a plethora
of opportunities for promoting humanitarian, economic and political ties, but
given Warsaw’s current attitude it is hard to imagine how this can be achieved.
Question: Considering the
recent updates on the investigation into the causes of the crash of the Polish
President’s Tu-154 plane, when can Poland receive the fragments of the plane?
Maria Zakharova: As usual, our answer is, ask the agencies that are conducting the
investigation.
Question: What do Russians
think about the planned Italian referendum on leaving the EU? Many people fear
that its outcome would destabilise not only Italy but also Europe as a whole,
while President Vladimir Putin and other Russian politicians are in favour of
stability on the continent.
Maria Zakharova: Can I ask you a question? Do people in Italy think that Moscow is behind the
referendum and see Moscow’s hand in it?
Question: No.
Maria Zakharova:
A referendum in Italy or any other country is an internal matter of that
country. This is our fundamental principle, and it is based on one of the
fundamental principles of the UN Charter, the principle of non-interference in
the internal affairs of other states. Therefore, we do not even discuss this
issue. It is an internal matter for Italy.
We
truly stand for international stability and dialogue, and we are against
anything being added to the current complicated international agenda that could
undermine stability. The things that can undermine stability include
unilaterally withdrawing from agreements, sanctions, aggressive rhetoric and
information wars – that is, everything that cannot help build trust but
definitely undermines European stability. There are also things that can have a
direct effect on stability, such as conflicts and the failure to settle them,
for example, the conflict in Syria and the developments in Libya, Yemen, Iraq
and the region as a whole are the cause of the inflow of refugees into Europe.
This has added a major destabilising element to the situation in Europe. And
this instability is only growing. This is how I would answer your question.
Of
course, any referendum is an internal matter of the given country based on the
free expression of will by the people. It must be based on generally recognised
and respected principles. It must be held as the free expression of people’s
will. I hope that this is how it is happening in Italy.
Question: Russian-Turkish
relations were restored four months ago. Have they returned to the level before
the rupture? Does Russia believe Turkey with regard to developments in Syria
and Iraq, where Turkey has recently become very active?
Maria Zakharova: I
think that it is an ongoing process. It cannot be said that it is complete. As
you know, several documents have been signed following top-level contacts, and
these documents should help restore our relations to the previous level,
including our economic relations. You understand that some time will have to
pass between their signing and implementation. And this example shows that the
process is not complete yet.
As
for Syria, we have indeed resumed contact and are exchanging opinions with our
Turkish colleagues. We express our views on the developments in the region and
our assessment of Turkish actions there. As I have said, we have resumed
contact, but we express our concerns through direct channels rather than
publicly. We have always said that public statements do not make relations more
constructive. We have established a direct channel and are using it to exchange
information.
Question: The magazine
Charlie Hebdo has published a cartoon on the opening of the Orthodox Church in
Paris. How can Russia respond to this? What levers can it use?
Maria Zakharova: Which media outlet do you represent?
Question: The Federal News
Agency.
Maria Zakharova: Good. I say that we should read reports by the Federal News Agency and not
Charlie Hebdo. This answer should be satisfactory for you.
Question: I have a question
about North Korea’s nuclear tests. Some UN Security Council members, including
the United States, intend to impose new sanctions to restrict the flow of
labour from North Korea. What does Russia think about this initiative?
According to some data, there are over 50,000 North Koreans working in Russia.
Maria Zakharova: As I have said, we are working on this, but not publicly. Basically, we believe
that sanctions, including legal sanctions approved by the UN Security Council,
should be targeted and precise. They should not affect the living standards of
people but address the concrete goal of preventing violations of international
law. Everything that is helping or can help achieve this goal could be used for
legitimate international pressure based on sanctions.
Question: Can Russia
guarantee compliance with the humanitarian pause to allow civilians to leave?
Maria Zakharova:
Yes, we have issued this guarantee, in particular, on behalf of the Defence
Ministry.
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