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Europe's security remains in deadlock, Russian FM warns

Iran Press TV

Wed Apr 27, 2016 1:58PM

Russia's foreign minister said Wednesday a recent ambassadorial-level meeting between representatives of Moscow and NATO proves absence of progress in Europe's security situation.

Addressing the Fifth Moscow Conference on International Security, Sergei Lavrov said ambassadors from the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) failed to reach agreements during their recently-held meeting at the Brussels headquarters of NATO.

"The recent Russia-NATO Council meeting, which was held at the strong request of the North Atlantic Alliance following a long pause initiated also by it, proved that European security remains in a deadlock," the Russian foreign minister stated.

On April 20, representatives of NATO and Russia held the formal meeting for the first time since ties between the two sides strained in 2014 over the crisis in Ukraine.

Russia's Ambassador to NATO Alexander Grushko recently said Moscow's relations with NATO will not improve unless the Western military alliance adopts a new policy regarding Russia.

Lavrov also said it is impossible to establish security in Europe and elsewhere without the participation of Russia, adding, "I can only agree with the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, who said once that it is impossible to create stable security architecture on the European continent without our country. Other European colleagues agree with that. But do the actions of our Western partners correspond with these goals?"

Lavrov denounces NATO military buildup

The Russian foreign minister also stated that NATO's military buildup near Russian borders "contradicts Russia-NATO Founding Act on Mutual Relations, and seriously changes the political landscape."

In addition to that, "NATO and its allies' actions in terms of creating a global missile defense system can only contribute to instability," Lavrov said.

"NATO rotates its troops on the so-called south [NATO] flank and conducts military exercises almost every day, a new military infrastructure is being built. All these steps contradict the main agreement between Russia and NATO [the Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security between NATO and the Russian Federation] and seriously change the political landscape especially in the northeastern part of Europe. This region used to be one of the most militarily stable regions but it is being transformed into a zone of high tensions. The NATO and its allies' actions, in terms of creating a global missile defense system, can only contribute to instability."

NATO has been deploying troops and equipment close to Russia's borders since it suspended all ties with Moscow in April 2014 after the Crimean Peninsula rejoined the Russian Federation following a referendum.

The United States and its European allies accuse Moscow of destabilizing Ukraine and have imposed a number of sanctions against Russian and pro-Russia figures. Moscow, however, rejects having a hand in the Ukrainian crisis.

Moscow has on many occasions slammed NATO's expansion near its borders, saying such a move poses a threat to both regional and international peace.

NATO shelves war on terror due to its political ambitions

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Russian foreign minister said NATO has been compromising in the fight against terrorism due to political ambitions.

"I would like to point out that the joint fight against terrorism was among those projects that were frozen by the North Atlantic Alliance and sacrificed for its political ambitions."

Lavrov cautioned against turning the crisis in Syria into a sectarian conflict.

He also warned against the rising threat of terrorist groups such as Daesh to the world.

Daesh and other militants operating across Syria and Iraq have launched several attacks involving poisonous or asphyxiating agents, such as sarin, over the past few years.

Nearly 500 guests are in the Russian capital for the security conference. Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan has also attended the two-day event.

The summit is expected to address the conflict in the Middle East, issues of security in the Asia-Pacific region, the problem of war and peace in Europe as well as global security and military cooperation.