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On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov underlined the United States, in its response to Moscow’s proposals on security guarantees, does not include the answer to the main question about non-expansion of NATO to the east.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov disclosed on Thursday that the U.S. administration did not respond to the main question on Russia's proposal about NATO's non-enlargement eastward.
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"There is no positive reaction on the main issue in this document. The main issue is our clear position that further NATO expansion to the east and the deployment of strike weapons that could threaten the territory of the Russian Federation is unacceptable," said the Russian FM.
Lavrov said Moscow is on the current review of the document. "The content of the document - there is a reaction that allows us to count on the start of a serious conversation, but on secondary issues," he added. The diplomat announced that the document's content would be publically released soon.
"As for the content of the response, I think it will become known to the general public very shortly, because, as our American colleagues told us, although they prefer the document to remain for a confidential diplomatic dialogue, it has been agreed with all U.S. allies and with the Ukrainian side. Therefore, I have no doubt that in the very near future it will 'leak," Russian FM noted.
»Lavrov also revealed that the content of the document “is likely to become known to the general public in the very near future.” although they would prefer to keep it confidential, ... There’s no doubt it will be leaked in the very near future.”« https://t.co/NHND7quVUb
— Peter G. Spengler (@pspengle) January 27, 2022
The diplomat noted that the Russian government considers the U.S. and NATO answers as one. Lavrov believes that the United States avoids discussing the need to follow the principle of indivisibility of security; the diplomat stressed that Russia is not ready to accept this.
"The principle that one should not strengthen one's security at the expense of the security of others is deliberately avoided. Neither the Istanbul nor the Astana declarations are mentioned by our Western partners in the discussions on European security that are currently taking place … We cannot accept this," he said.
According to the minister, Moscow's authorities will soon send an official request to the U.S. and NATO, asking why they regard provisions of the principle of indivisibility of security separately from each other. "After an interdepartmental consultation, we will brief the president, and the president will decide on our next steps," Lavrov concluded.
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