Johannesburg: Russia strongly supports the issue of reform at the UN Security Council to accommodate African, Asian, and Latin American nations, the country’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday.
“We strongly support the additional seats for developing countries because it is the under-representation of Africa, Asia, and Latin America which is the key problem of the (UN Security) Council today,” Lavrov said, expressing support for pleas made on several occasions by President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He also said Russia “cherished” the cooperation of South Africa at the G20.
“The latest Summit in Indonesia was, I believe, quite telling about the desire of most members of the G20 to concentrate on the original mandate of this group and not to politicise the agenda items,” Lavrov said, adding that Russia was looking forward to South Africa taking over the Presidency of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) this year.
“The (BRICS) agenda is huge and very important, especially in the context of the not very helpful developments in the world economy and the world (in general),” he said.
Lavrov confirmed Russia’s commitment to peaceful resolutions of disputes, including the country’s current war with Ukraine, even as he pinned the blame for there not being an early end to the war on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“We will always be ready to discuss early negotiated solutions to any conflict. In September, President Zelensky signed a decree prohibiting all Ukrainian officials from negotiating anything with the Russian Federation. So I believe it’s obvious as to the origin of the problem of the lack of negotiations,” Lavrov said.
Lavrov was addressing a media briefing after meeting with his South African counterpart, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, who hosted the Russian Minister for bilateral talks covering a range of issues.
PTI
