Adam
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s long serving Foreign Minister has delivered his country’s address to the plenary session of the 72nd meeting of the UN General Assembly.
The speech which was delivered at a rapid pace, can be characterised as a point-for-point rebuttal of the majority of issues raised by Donald Trump during his deeply controversial speech delivered on the 19th of September.
Below are the main points covered by Lavrov
North Korea
Sergey Lavrov placed a heavy emphasis on the joint Chinese and Russian deep-freeze proposals which call for de-escalation on the Korean peninsula.
Lavrov stated that “military hysteria is not just an impasse but a disaster” in a clear reference to Donald Trump’s threat to “destroy” North Korea, during his address before the United Nations.
Russia’s Foreign Minister condemned “Pyongyang’s missile adventurism” but restated that diplomacy is the only means of solving the crisis.
Iran
Sergey Lavrov stated Russia’s support for the 2013 JCPOA which is colloquially known as the Iran nuclear deal. By contrast, Donald Trump called the deal “an embarrassment”.
Lavrov then said that the JCPOA has been and continues to be effective and that threats against Iran are causing alarm in the wider world.
Venezuela
Sergey Lavrov said that it is “unacceptable” for any external power to orchestrate riots let alone take military action against Venezuela. He also affirmed Russia’s opposition to sanctions against Venezuela. He explained that unilateral actions in such areas are ineffective and pointed to the failed US embargo of Cuba.
Lavrov condemned the use of ultimatums as a means of settling geo-political disputes and warned that such leads only lead to chaos, instability and refugee crises.
Syria
Sergey Lavrov spoke positively of the defeat of ISIS on the battle field but remarked with surprise verging on disgust that al-Nusra (al-Qaeda in Syria) is “being spared by members of the US led coalition”.
He further stated that more efforts are still needed to bring stability to Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Libya.
Lavrov then said that any allegations relating to the use of chemical weapons in Syria or elsewhere should be investigated thoroughly and objectively. To this end, the work of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons should not be undermined.
Sergey Lavrov also praised the work of the Astana Group of Russia, Iran and Turkey to help bring stability to Syria.
Palestine
The Russian Foreign Minister expressed regret that there has still been no just solution for the people of Palestine. He affirmed that Russia places a strong emphasis on bringing peace to Palestine at the soonest possible date. Specifically, he stated that Russia has always and will continue to attach a supreme importance on achieving Palestinian unity.
Lavrov said that Russia is willing to engage in fostering direct talks between Israeli and Palestinian leadership in pursuit of the two-state solution agreed to by the United Nations.
Ukrainian regime’s war on Donbass
Lavrov stated that it is necessary to deploy UN peacekeepers to Donbass at the soonest possible moment while he deplored the fact that the lawless Kiev regime consistently fails to implement the agreements contained in the MINSK Protocols.
Lavrov devoted this portion of the speech to criticising how the current regime in Kiev came to power through a violent and lawless coup.
Lavrov reminded his audience that the United Nations was founded as a result of the Nuremberg Trials of fascist war criminals and that no one should hide behind the phenomenon of free speech in order to glorify fascism and contemporary expressions of Nazism.
NATO expansion into Europe and anti-Russian racism
Sergey Lavrov lamented that after the Cold War, the western powers “grew heady” on the heels of history and broke multiple promises to refrain from expanding NATO into parts of Europe which had formerly been part of the Warsaw Pact which was led by the Soviet Union.
He said that “NATO is trying to restore the climate of the Cold War”, something which is unacceptable based on the modern standards of global multi-polarity.
The Russian Foreign Minister further stated that NATO’s expansion into Europe created anti-Russian sentiments throughout the continent and this has led to the nationalistic desecration of monuments to those who won the war against fascism. This is a clear reference to Poland beginning to tear down monuments to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War against fascism. Lavrov stated that the UN must raise these matters with urgency.
Lavrov further stated that the UN must do more to help the human rights disaster of stateless peoples of Europe, many of whom are also the victims of racist laws which prevent them from speaking their native languages. This is a clear reference to the discrimination against Russians in the Baltic states of the European Union.
Sovereignty
As a country which has always respected the sovereignty and dignity of all nations, Sergey Lavrov said that Russia welcomed Donald Trump’s remarks in favour of respecting all nations rights to sovereignty, but then decried the perpetual “if you’re not with us, you’re against us” attitude of the US led NATO west.
Nuclear weapons
While Russia is committed to a world free of nuclear weapons, Sergey Lavrov stated that the best way to cut down on the proliferation of nuclear weapons was through realistic and objective dialogue. He stated that an unrealistic approach to nuclear weapons, only pushes the goal of a nuclear free world further away.
Lavrov’s concluding remarks
Lavrov spoke positively of Russia’s engagement in multilateral organisations such as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the BRICS, and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
He stated that the multipolar or “polycentric” nature of the 21st century political map should be welcomed as a positive development.
Lavrov stated that the world must reject military alliances and instead work for collective security, which includes a rational approach to cyber-security.
Sergey Lavrov concluded by quoting the Roman philosopher Seneca who said “We were born to coexist together”. Lavrov stated that the UN founding fathers understood this better than anyone.
Conclusion
As Donald Trump’s speech opened with warm words about an non-ideological/pragmatic new approach for American foreign policy, one which would respect the sovereignty of nations, Sergey Lavrov offered praise for words which are long overdue from the Russian perspective.
However, just as Trump devoted the remainder of his speech to the antithetical threats to make war and sow conflict among several nations, Lavrov rejected Trump’s account on all parts.
–Whereas Trump threatened war on North Korea, Lavrov said dialogue is the only answer.
–Whereas Trump threatened war and sanctions on Venezuela–Lavrov condemned both and warned against such moves.
–Whereas Trump threatened to axe the JCPOA, Lavrov spoke highly of it.
–Whereas Trump condemned the Syrian government, Lavrov praised measures to bring peace to Syria which respect Syrian sovereignty.
In this sense, Russia and the US have very different ideas of how the world ought to be run. Donald Trump has not changed this, but in many ways, has only served to magnify these differences.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Trump is getting some very bad guidance internally.
Terrible advice, and, he is taking it!
That is not advice he is getting, it is instructions.
You are absolutely right. I accept the correction. Thank you.
All part of the brilliant Donald Trump plan. Good cop–bad cop. Pretend you are the bad cop so the good cop can get credit for the reasonable approach. This defuses the anti-Russian sentiments that Hillary and the Deep State were trying to use to bring down the Trump administration through “Russiagate.” 🙂
Trump has no plan!
That’s what Hillary thought! Ha ha ha! 🙂
he can’t even keep up, let alone plan.
WTF are you talking about? You make no sense at all. Read your words you sound like you are infatuated with what you thought Trump represented. Smell the fucking coffee already!
Oh if only you were right, but sadly I don’t think you are.
Threatening to annihilate a nation is just plain unacceptable, and the UN was never meant to be a forum for threats. Bush, Colin Powell and the WMD were bad enough, but this is the nadir.
Watch the faces of the reps in the audience, who are alarmed, and then look at Bibi. There’s no doubt who this insanity benefits.
Not really sure if the “good cop” is supposed to talk about “totally destroying” North Korea.
Lavrov’s rebuttal of President Trump’s speech is brilliant, passionate, clear and calm.
but the ziocons don’t care, and talking logic to sociopaths is just wasted breath.
Don’t be deluded by Trump’s reference to “sovereign nations”. The US wants “full spectrum dominance”, nothing less.
I’m sure Lavrov is aware of this.
Trump’s speech was deplorable. Lavrov is ever the diplomat.
“I’m sure Lavrov is aware of this.”
Absolutely.
Some well-meaning but politically naive opponents of US hegemony have mistakenly assumed that Lavrov was “taken in” by Trump’s lip service to sovereignty.
They don’t understand “diplomatese”. Diplomats are masters of ironic understatement. Lavrov was holding Trump’s feet to the fire when he “praised” Trump’s phony advocacy of sovereignty.
I hoped Trump would be different but alas he is just more of the same.It is clear to me that his ego has gotten the better of him.He thinks this is some reality tv show where he will come out on top,he is sadly mistaken.
It has become obvious that in the international arena he is very ill prepared.
The only positive I can see is that he will bring the US down faster than we hoped could happen.
I had hopes in Trump which are slowly dimming. I think they are telling him that his polls are up with this pro-war aggressive speech, but it is completely insane……and completely nonsensical. How in the world does trump think the US could ‘destroy NK’ without destroying SK as well, and without China and Russia becoming involved in this, who is advising him to talk like this, obviously someone who doesn’t want him to win in 2020
He is a fool.He has lied to the world about adhering to international law.
America is going down big time,Enough is enough!
Sergey Lavrov is, without a question, the epitome of what a diplomat should be.
Americans take note. Frankly, I cannot think of anyone in the US that come close to Lavrov. Actually, simply put, there are no diplomats in the US.
Well said!
I agree, not like the crazy hotheaded niki haley…….
The US today has hatchetmen, not diplomats.
As usual Mr. Lavrov speaking words of wisdom.
Russia is the worlds friend and Mr Lavrov is the best bar none.
Lavrov is an adult, trump is a spoiled brat with a childs brain in a obese, disgusting body.
The reality is that a few days ago, the rest of the world and its statesmen had to suffer the embarrassment of listening to the boofhead leader of a military dictatorship.
This was not primarily a “rebuttal of Trump’s UN speech”. It was primarily a statement of agreement with the principles stated by Trump at the start of his speech about respect for national sovereignty and cooperation between sovereign nations and how this can be implemented at the United Nations. He does not agree with the “rogue nations” belligerent part of the speech, but it seems to me he is focusing more on the positive parts.
Sergey Lavrov – the only adult in the UN room.
while I agree with you praise for Lavrov, I would include Iran’s and China’s speakers and representatives in that!
‘ al-Nusra (al-Qaeda in Syria) is “being spared by members of the US led coalition”.’ This is because the US wants to use al-Nusra in their next regime change………
Sensible pragmatic solution on global situation suggested!
“In this sense, Russia and the US have very different ideas of how the world ought to be run. Donald Trump has not changed this, but in many ways, has only served to magnify these differences.”
Super analysis there as this gives nations the pure and honest choices they KNOW they must take NOW: Unipolar (NWO/Zionist-Israel) versus Multi-Polar World (Russia/China) for the survival of sovereign Humanity. Trump is useful in this regard: ripping the curtains wide open to let in the light.
Very important speech…one of many that Lavrov has given in the past. Lavrov is a true diplomat. You do not see Russia and China invading other countries around the world and intervering and conducting covert operations for regime change. No, it is the United States (or rather those who control the United States). It is evident that the Deep State and the Shadow Government is still in control of the United States government, despite what Trump “says” he wants to do. Saying and “doing” are two different things. Trump is controlled by three generals. The Military Industrial Complex that Eisenhower… Read more »