🔵 Statement by the Head of the Delegation of the Russian Federation, Permanent Representative of Russia to the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich at the 29th meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council

📍Lodz, 1 December 2022

Read the full statement in Russian language

🔹 Politically motivated decision of Poland to deny access for Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to #OSCEMC2022 in Lodz is a serious blow to the prestige of the country tasked to lead the work in the OSCE in 2022. Such methods deserve condemnation

🔹 The West intentionally devalues tools of diplomacy, firmly embarks on the path of confrontation due to the blind preoccupation with the idea of its own superiority, faith in uniqueness and infallibility of the Western model of globalization

🔹 Logic for events in Ukraine portrayed as a root cause of #OSCE security crisis is untenable - contradictions have been accumulating for a long time, accompanied by West’s refusal to engage in dialogue based on mutual respect of interests

🔹 Taking advantage of its numerical superiority in the Organization, the West presented by EU and NATO tries to raid the OSCE & privatize the only remaining regional platform for dialogue

🔹 The “collective West” initially did not intend to build a European security architecture with reliance on #OSCE, tried to fully control it, while the waves of NATO expansion blurred the core meaning of OSCE as a comprehensive tool for building indivisible security

🔹 OSCE missed its historic chance to promote inclusive national dialogue in Ukraine, to prevent an uncontrolled militarization of its territory & the slide of its authorities towards the worst examples of Nazi practices

🔹 NATO continued its aggressive military absorbtion of Ukraine. More and more so-called Western instructors and military equipment arrived there, more often the country’ territory was involved in provocative NATO exercises

🔹 The launch of a special military operation was Russia's compelled response to the deliberate modeling by Kiev and its Western sponsors of security threats to Russians and Ukrainians on both sides of the Russian-Ukrainian border

🔹 Western countries should stop shaking #OSCE and trying to impose their narratives. Tolerance for alternative points of view is a sign of strength. Disagreements are always better to resolve at the negotiating table

🔹 Russia is open for cooperation when our interlocutors will be ready. There is no reasonable alternative to a renewed, more sustainable architecture in the Euro-Atlantic region based on the principle of indivisible security and respect of mutual interests

🔹 There are 57 participating States in OSCE. We are all different, but all are equal. Our strength lies in diversity & ability to find compromises based on respect of mutual interests. Hopefully we won’t lose this unique pan-European platform

🎙 Statement by the Head of the Delegation of the Russian Federation, Permanent Representative of Russia to the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich at the closing session of the 29th OSCE Ministerial Council

📍 Lodz, 2 December 2022

Part 1

💬 Despite the current problems, we believe that #OSCE has a future. As a platform for equal and mutually respectful dialogue and cooperation, the Organization is still in demand. When the Russophobia passes, we will be ready to restore work together

🔸 Discriminatory attitude towards Russia and other states “to the East of Vienna” should be abandoned. There is no place for teaching and mentoring. We will revive the culture of mutually respectful professional dialogue

❗️ We believe we need to negotiate. This is an axiom of diplomacy. The #OSCE cannot be in an eternal "waiting mode" - as it is now. It can’t also justify its further existence by the task of “punishing and restraining” #Russia

#OSCEMC2022

🎙 Statement by the Head of the Delegation of the Russian Federation, Permanent Representative of Russia to the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich at the closing session of the 29th OSCE Ministerial Council

📍 Lodz, 2 December 2022

Part 2

💬 Extremely disappointed with style and methods of work of the Polish Chairmanship-in-Office. We regret that Warsaw was unable to overcome internal complexes, rise above historical grievances in the interest of strengthening the collective foundations of work of #OSCE

🔸 The principles of consensus and non-interference in each other's internal affairs are in dire need of reaffirmation. A culture of compromise and the rejection of “double standards” must be written into #OSCE documents

🔸 It is necessary to preserve a single pan-European space "from Vancouver to Vladivostok", to prevent its fragmentation, separation of the western part of the continent from the eastern

#OSCEMC2022

📺 Watch Russian Permanent Representative to the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich’s Interview with RT News on the results of the #OSCE Ministerial Council in #Lodz (December 2, 2022)

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📺 Смотрите интервью Постпреда России при ОБСЕ А.К.Лукашевича телеканалу «Раша Тудей» по итогам министерского заседания ОБСЕ в Лодзи, 2 декабря 2022 года

🎙 Read excerpts from the statement of Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich «On ongoing democratic reforms in Kazakhstan and the results of the Presidential election» (meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council, 8 December 2022)

👏 Congratulations to #Kazakhstan on excellent organization of Presidential elections. We note the positive assessments by the international community, including missions of CIS, CSTO PA, SCO, of their preparation and conduct

🇰🇿 The re-election of President K.-Zh.K.#Tokayev demonstrated that the program he put forward for the formation of a new Kazakhstan, aimed at the comprehensive transformation of the country, is supported by the overwhelming majority of the population

❗️ We agree with Kazakhstan's assessments of #ODIHR conclusions. They are biased, diverge with reality, and ignore the country’s progress in electoral sphere. Such an approach to the #OSCE participating States “East of Vienna” has become traditional for ODIHR

🎙 Read excerpts from statement of Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the OSCE Alexander Volgarev «Russian Federation on the Report by the High Commissioner on National Minorities»(meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council, 8 December 2022)

💬 Deeply disappointed with the biased assessments of the HCNM’s Office of the special military operation in Ukraine, support by this institution for the extrabudgetary activities of the Western countries in Ukraine under the guise of the #OSCE and bypassing the objections of Russia
 
❗️ At the same time, numerous discriminatory actions and statements calling for violence by Ukrainian officials remain without any reaction
 
Since 2014 Kiev’s regime proclaimed the fight against the Russian language as one of the goals of building a “new Ukraine”. The policy of Ukrainization of all areas of public life, assimilation of national minorities & ethnic groups for establishing an ethnocratic regime has been legalized there

Russian Permanent Representative to the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich:

⚡️ This early Thursday morning, the city center of #Donetsk was hit by the most massive #UAF strike since 2014. 40 Grad MLRS missiles fell on the sleeping city. At least 5 people suffered, including a child

‼️ There are no military installations in this area. This is pure terror of the Kiev regime against the civilian population. Urgent response from #OSCE leadership required

🔵 Read excerpts from the statement of Representative of the Russian Federation to the OSCE “On dangerous provocations by the Kiev regime with the support of the Western alliance of OSCE participating States and on the ongoing crimes by it against the civilian population” (meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council, 15 December 2022)

🔹 This year in the #OSCE, the Polish Chairmanship-in-Office created around the Ukrainian problem an artificial stir with the overt use of double standards

🔹 The Russian special operation for the protection of civilians from years-long abuse by the Kiev regime was launched against the backdrop of a long-term inability of the OSCE to play a constructive role in the implementation of UNSCR 2202, which approved the Minsk "Package of Measures" of 12.02.2015

🔹 Today it is obvious that the Western countries actually used the Minsk agreements as a smokescreen for strengthening the military potential of the Kiev regime. Ex-Chancellor of Germany A.Merkel directly and publicly admitted this

🎙 Read excerpts from the statement of Representative of the Russian Federation to the OSCE “On dangerous provocations by the Kiev regime with the support of the Western alliance of OSCE participating States and on the ongoing crimes by it against the civilian population” (special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council, 22 Dec. 2022)

▪️The murder of D.Dugina in a terrorist attack by 🇺🇦 special services is just one of a series of brutal crimes by #Kievregime, which it apparently intends to continue

▪️Kiev is preparing plans for strikes against large cities in 🇷🇺, as is demonstrated by intentions of 🇺🇦 military leadership to include detailed maps of cities in central Russia, Belarus & part of Moldova (Transnistria) in «Krapiva» software package of Ukrainian Armed Forces

▪️ #OSCE must fully audit Kiev's actions that violate its commitments: on war crimes against civilians, suppression of dissent in 🇺🇦, deprivation of population of linguistic, cultural, religious rights & nurturing radical neo-Nazi movements

🎙 Read excerpts from the statement of Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich «On the presentation of priorities of the North Macedonian OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office» (special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council, 12 January 2023)

💬 North Macedonian OSCE CiO must learn from the deplorable experience of the Polish predecessors who tried to impose unilateral Russophobic approaches on the Organization

🇲🇰 The readiness of the North Macedonian team to act as an impartial and transparent “manager” will determine the prospects for restoring confidence and maintaining the manageability of the #OSCE, as well as its future

🇷🇺 Russia will continue to actively defend itself against the diverse hybrid aggression by a number of #NATO member countries led by the United States and Great Britain against the very foundations of Russian statehood and sovereignty

🎙 Read excerpts from statement of DHoM of the RF to the OSCE M.Buyakevich “On dangerous provocations by the Kiev regime with the support of the Western alliance of OSCE pS and on the ongoing crimes by it against the civilian population” (meeting of the OSCE PC, 19.01.23)

💬 At the time of confrontation, it is important to maintain international channels of communication in order to control level of escalation and secure possibilities for reaching agreements. #OSCE must serve these purposes

❌ Kiev’s foreign sponsors on their behalf block every possibility of diplomatic efforts for settlement, which means they bear responsibility for continuation of hostilities & sufferings of civilian population on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine border

In case of heavy weapons’ supplies to Ukraine and escalation of hostilities to a new level, the emerging threats to the Russia Armed Forces and Russian security will be stopped through a set of military & other measures, taking into account the role of all countries involved

🎙 Read excerpts from the statement of Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the OSCE M.Buyakevich “On gross violations of freedom of the media by some Western OSCE participating States” (meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council, 19.01.23)

💬The attack on one of the fundamental freedoms - media freedom – continues in some #OSCE pS. In the past year, this paranoid struggle against imaginary enemies has resulted in imposition of total censorship, whose manifestations are manifold

📌There is no end in sight to the persecution of professional journalism in the Baltic states. On 5 January, the editor-in-chief of Sputnik Lithuania, M.Kasem, was detained in Riga. The journalist is accused of flouting the EU sanctions regime

❗️Riga has once again demonstrated that media pluralism and the rights of journalists are empty words for it. We demand that OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro, finally make her contribution to stopping repressions carried out by the Latvian regime

🎙 Read excerpts from statement of Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the OSCE Alexander Volgarev «International Holocaust Remembrance Day»(meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council, 26 January 2023)

💬 On 27 January 1944, the inhuman blockade of Leningrad, one of the bloodiest pages of the Second World War, was completely lifted. As with the Holocaust, it was a mass and targeted extermination of civilians
 
🗓 On 27 January 1945, the Red Army liberated the largest concentration camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau (Auschwitz). About 4 mln people, including about a million Jews, were murdered in the millstone of that death factory

❗️Attempts to deny the Holocaust, spread of racism, Nazism, neo-Nazism and racial intolerance pose a direct threat to peace and security. It is imperative to include neo-Nazism on the #OSCE human dimension agenda

🎙 Read excerpts from statement of Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the OSCE Alexander Volgarev «On the recent Anti-Islamic Attacks in Europe» (meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council, 26 January 2023)
 
💬 Amid the mutually respectful and legally protected existence of all religions and confessions in Russia, we note a serious rise in Islamophobia in the #OSCE area
 
📖 Anti-Islam radicals are still allowed to hold public events in some European countries where they vandalise books and notions sacred to believers
 
❗️The OSCE has accumulated a significant volume of commitments on tolerance and non-discrimination. 2014 OSCE MC Basel tasking on developing declarations on Christiano-and Islamophobia should be finally imlemented
 
📢 We call on North Macedonian OSCE CiO to prioritise the imlementation of this important task

🎙 Read excerpts from statement of Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the OSCE Alexander Volgarev «On the double standards approach in implementation of the OSCE commitments in the human rights dimension in some Western Participating States» (meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council, 2 February 2023)

🇪🇺 EU and the 🇺🇸 US have consistently pursued a policy of total politicisation of the human rights sphere, using it to interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign countries, and imposing double standards in their consideration of certain issues
 
🇷🇺 Situation in Russia has been diligently demonised, not shying away from using various OSCE resources and mechanisms. This all looks hypocritical, if not sanctimonious, amid the deplorable human rights situation in the Western participating States of the Organization

❗️We call on Western #OSCE participating States to stop discrediting the very concept of human rights by using the topic only to interfere in the internal affairs of others

🇷🇺🇦🇲 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s opening remarks during talks with Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan

📍 Moscow, March 20, 2023

💬 As of now, we are the leading trade partner and investor in Armenia’s economy. Last year set a record, with trade almost doubling to about $5 billion (for the time being, we still calculate in dollars, but it is temporary). All of this has helped your country to ensure record high GDP growth of more than 12.5 percent and a surge in business activity.

An important topic at our talks today is cooperation in the Eurasian space, the #CSTO, the #CIS and the #EAEU space, as well as interaction at multilateral venues, including the #UN and the #OSCE.

We will also focus on international security issues, including the Lachin Corridor and Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process, which is one of our priorities.

Read in full

#RussiaArmenia

🇷🇺🇧🇾 Today, Belarus, a state linked to Russia by centuries of fraternal friendship and bonds of mutual assistance, is marking Independence Day.

#OnThisDay in 1944, Minsk was liberated from Nazi German invaders and occupants as a result of well-coordinated Red Army operations. Fighting shoulder to shoulder, our nations made a decisive contribution to the Victory over Nazism.

Today, Russian-Belarusian relations are those of strategic partnership and alliance. Together, our countries continue to overcome serious difficulties and defend their interests on the international scene. They collaborate closely in the field of military and military-technical cooperation and in ensuring collective security.

Moscow and Minsk jointly streamline various institutions of the Union State and promote integration projects in the Eurasian region. Our countries voice common or similar positions on many international issues and cooperate closely in the #CSTO, the #EAEU, the #CIS, the #UN, the #OSCE and other international and regional organisations.

🤝 We congratulate the fraternal people of Belarus on the national holiday. We wish them well-being and prosperity.

#RussiaBelarus #UnionState

🇷🇺🇲🇰 On August 30, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a telephone conversation with Chairman-in-Office of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (#OSCE) and Foreign Minister of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani with the North Macedonian side initiating the call.

The discussion touched on current issues on the OSCE agenda, with a focus on the systemic crisis in the OSCE, the outlook for appointing the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and heads of its executive bodies for 2024, as well as on the obstacles to agreeing on the OSCE consolidated budget for 2023.

Sergey Lavrov stressed the need to streamlining the OSCE's activities within the framework of the Rules of Procedure, and to resume the drafting and adoption of decisions exclusively in accordance with the fundamental rule of consensus.