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Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's opening remarks at a meeting with Lebanese Democratic Party Chairman Talal Arslan, Moscow, March 29, 2022

29 March 2022 15:02
653-29-03-2022

Mr Arslan,

Сolleagues,

Friends,

We are delighted to welcome to the Foreign Ministry a delegation headed by such an experienced and respected Lebanese politician.

You occupied ministerial positions in important areas while serving with various governments, and are a leader of one of the most influential political parties in your country.

We appreciate your commitment to further expanding ties with the Russian Federation on the basis of well-established principles of equality, mutual benefit and respect.

We invariably support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon, the need for resolving all problems on the basis of an emotional consensus that has taken shape and helped us overcome difficulties more than once. We are alarmed to watch attempts to undermine the tradition of preserving national consensus.

Lebanon is living through difficult times. Conflicts and crises have persisted in your country. Unfortunately, those international players who have been traditionally trying to use the region for their selfish mercenary interests now strive to influence the situation more actively, while speculating on the consequences of the situation in Ukraine.

When our Western colleagues realised that their plans to establish a bridgehead in Ukraine for aggression against Russia and for attacking all things Russian had been thwarted, they resorted to blackmail, ultimatums and threats in order to persuade countries in all regions to denounce the Russian Federation. They used their influence to gain unilateral advantages in various parts of the world. They are using openly imperialist and neocolonial methods to force everyone to obey Western orders and to reinstate what was called a unipolar world.

We always advocate cooperation and dialogue. However, it is necessary to do this solely on the basis of equality, mutual respect and a search for a balance of interests.

We value the principled position of our many friends in all countries that, first of all, refuse to join illegitimate and unilateral Western sanctions against the Russian Federation and, second, which comprehend current developments in the context of common trends in the future development of global relations.

We sincerely respect your own assessments of global developments. You are making these assessments as an objective and experienced politician who is not influenced by various time-serving considerations, and who thinks about the national interests of his Homeland.

During your visit to Moscow, we are hoping to hear your assessments of developments in Lebanon, the Middle East and North Africa, where there are many friends of Russia. Many problems exist there. We are actively involved in facilitating a search for ways to resolve them.