Lavrov Speaks of CIS, Georgia

In an interview with the Russian newspaper Moskovskiye Novosti published on August 26, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the ?current structure? of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) has not met expectations and needs to be reformed. He also said that post-Soviet space represents an area for competition and that western interest in the region is ?normal.? Lavrov also commented on the recent initiative by Georgia and Ukraine to create a regional collation of democratic nations.

Lavrov said that the post-Soviet space is not ?a center for tensions.? ?This is competitiveness… The activeness of the Western states is absolutely natural… No one doubts that Central Asia and the Caucasus are key parts of the post-Soviet space, which are of serious importance in today’s world. So, I think that an attempt of a state ? which tries to ensure its security, its economic needs ? to secure its interests on this space is normal,? Sergey Lavrov said.

?I do not think that one of our partners in the CIS seriously thinks about establishing relations with a third state to the detriment to Russia. This is simply impossible,? he added.

The Russian Foreign Minister said that summit of CIS leaders in Kazan on August 26 will not be a ?funeral? for this organization. ?Though I agree that the current structure has not brought those results, which were expected by the founders of the CIS,? Lavrov said.

When asked whether the initiative of Georgia and Ukraine to create a “Community for Democratic Choice” is a challenge for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov responded:

?Thanks for this question, because there have been lots of interpretations in the press, which represented the issue as if we have been ignored and as if we have been almost humiliated. I want to say that Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin [the Russian President] was one of the first to be invited to this event by Victor Andreevich Yushchenko [the Ukrainian President]. Our President has looked through his schedule and apologized, as exactly on that date there was a meeting planned with King Abdullah of Jordan. So there is no need to make anything anti-Russian of the Artek meeting ,? Lavrov said.

The Georgian, Lithuanian, Polish and Ukrainian Presidents gathered on the Ukraine’s Crimea on August 18 to participate in the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the International Children’s Center Artek ? a former camp for Soviet Pioneers.

Lavrov also commented on relations with Georgia, saying that Russia should pay more attention to Georgia especially after the political changes there.

?We do not want to impose our friendship on official Tbilisi. We want to be friends with Georgia and [we] are ready for this exactly as much as the Georgian leadership itself is ready for this,? Sergey Lavrov said.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian)