Moscow has noticed attempts to use the situation in North Ossetia as a pretext for interference in the settlement in the North Caucasus.

Thursday, February 27, 2020

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"We are grateful to the media for expressing condolences and covering the events in the North Caucasus. At the same time, we were bound to notice the fact that some media used these events to interfere in the process of political settlement in the North Caucasus," said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We cannot ignore these facts, and the calls for internationalizing this problems seem alarming to us," the minister said in an interview with the Voice of Russia. Russia does not fear competition with the West in the CIS, he said. "It is logical that the EU and other countries will display and are displaying an interest" in the CIS countries, he said. "The world is becoming globalized and one must learn to be competitive in it." The economic presence in the CIS and the development of military ties between the individual CIS countries and the U.S., European states and NATO members will grow, the minister said. "This is normal life to which we should become accustomed. We should not just find our place in it but also try to pursue our own line in the competition for resources and energy cooperation. We have the capabilities to do this," Sergei Lavrov said. The foreign minister believes that Israel would leave the occupied territories. "As for the Palestine-Israel settlement, it seems to me that Israel is resolved to withdraw from all the occupied territories," Mr. Lavrov said about the results of his recent visit to Israel. "We call also on the Palestinian side to fulfil all provisions of the roadmap plan." "I am sure of the effectiveness of the roadmap plan and the settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict if both sides fulfil these decisions," the minister said. According to him, Russia is satisfied that Israel has not ignored the conclusions of the International Court on the construction of the dividing wall. "Israel is regarding the international recommendations on the construction of the dividing wall sufficiently seriously," Mr. Lavrov said. "We call on Israel to fully take into account the interests of the world community."

Bookmark Moscow has noticed attempts to use the situation in North Ossetia as a pretext for interference in the settlement in the North Caucasus.