Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks and answers to media questions following talks with Foreign Minister of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Wunna Maung Lwin, Nay Pyi Taw, August 3, 2022
3 August 2022 12:02
1596-03-08-2022
Good afternoon,
We held good talks with our colleagues from Myanmar. This year, we have intensively developed contacts in all areas. Our mechanisms for cooperation include the trade, economic, military, military-technical, humanitarian and education fields.
Today, we discussed our positive progress. In 2021, our trade went up by 20 percent to $430 million, and it has increased another 50 percent in the first five months of this year (over 2021). There is every indication that the current pace will continue. We will do all we can to facilitate this.
We have good potential in the energy industry, including nuclear energy. Rosatom State Corporation is working with its partners on using nuclear technology for non-energy purposes. This applies to ICT and traditional hydrocarbons. Bashneft maintains strong cooperation with its Myanmar partners. Roscosmos is creating infrastructure for the remote probing of the Earth's surface in cooperation with its Myanmar colleagues. Other key industries are also making steady headway.
The two countries have traditionally maintained regular military contact. The Russian Defence Ministry plans to hold a number of events in August, including the International Security Conference, the International Army Games and the Army-2022 International Forum. As in previous years, we invited our Myanmar colleagues to take part in all of these meetings and events.
We look forward to seeing a representative delegation from Myanmar at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok (September 5-8 of this year). The republic's ministries were represented at the St Petersburg forum (June 15-18) by top executives.
We are developing humanitarian contacts, as well as education and training of civilian and military professions including at the Interior Ministry level. Our colleagues are increasingly interested in learning the Russian language, which is taught at two universities in Myanmar. We plan to establish one more Russian centre in the Yangon University of Foreign Languages. We and our partners in Myanmar are reviewing many cultural and humanitarian projects.
A Myanmarese religious and cultural centre was opened in the Kaluga Region. We are working to establish a parish of the Patriarchal Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in Southeast Asia and build a temple in Yangon, the country's biggest city (our colleagues have confirmed their consent for this today). Our compatriots living in the republic will welcome this.
We talked about the need to coordinate positions in the international arena. We are closely cooperating at the UN and in the context of ASEAN-Russia relations. We reaffirmed our high assessment of Myanmar's firm positions in the world arena as regards unconditional respect for the UN Charter and the principle of the sovereign equality of states.
The republic occupies a balanced and responsible position on the situation in Ukraine, being fully aware of the reasons for these developments, notably, the West's striving to dictate its will to all and everyone and do whatever it wants in any part of the world.
Question: It was reported earlier that Myanmar and Russia were discussing the use of Russian Mir payment cards in the country. Myanmar also favours settlements in yuans and rubles between the EAEU and ASEAN countries. At what stage are the talks on settlements in these currencies between the participants of these international associations? When will Russian Mir сards be accepted in Myanmar?
Sergey Lavrov: These items are on the agenda. For obvious reasons, this issue is discussed by the Russia-Myanmar Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, which plans to convene a regular session in Myanmar in the second half of this year.
Contacts on the use of Mir payment cards have already been established with the national financial regulator of Myanmar. Two meetings were held to discuss cooperation between central banks on specific issues of using the payment message system of the Central Bank of Russia. I believe these discussions will produce concrete results by the meeting of the commission and it will be possible to talk about them in more detail.
Question: Today, the main topic of discussion is Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. (We watched it before and during the flight.) The Russian Foreign Ministry has already called it a provocation. What is the attitude in the region to this visit? What explains the choice of time for the visit? Is it linked with the failures of the US administration's policy, or is it just an attempt to divert attention?
Sergey Lavrov: I don't know. I am not going to judge what motivated them. I have no doubt that this reflects the same line that we are discussing as regards the Ukrainian situation - a desire to prove to all and everyone that they can do anything they want with impunity. "My way or the highway" - this is how it sounds. I don't see any other reason to create such an irritant out of the blue, being perfectly aware of what this means for the PRC.
Question: The other day, President Joe Biden stated his willingness to discuss with Moscow a treaty to replace the New START after 2026. If this format is reactivated, is Russia ready to invite China to join it?
Sergey Lavrov: As for the discussions on a potential new treaty upon the expiration of the current START, two meetings took place in July and September 2021 as part of our strategic dialogue. After that, the United States took a break. The Americans have not suggested resuming talks at the current stage of international relations. They have developed a habit of making announcements through a microphone and then forgetting about them.
We have not received any proposals on resuming the negotiating process. When and if this happens, the PRC will decide itself whether to join these talks. The Americans are well aware of our position.
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