06 August / 2017
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Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had a separate meeting on the sidelines of ASEAN ministerial events in Manila on August 6.
Mr Lavrov and Mr Tillerson discussed the situation concerning Russian-US relations, with Mr Lavrov noting that the US decision to impose new sanctions on Russia is the latest in a series of unfriendly steps that could jeopardise international stability and deals a powerful blow to prospects for bilateral cooperation. Unsurprisingly, Russia cannot simply ignore action of this kind, including the unlawful seizure of Russian diplomatic property since December last year. Russia will respond accordingly in the future. At the same time, we are ready to normalise relations if Washington abandons its confrontational line.
Other issues discussed included the situation on the Korean Peninsula following the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2371 on August 5. Mr Lavrov said that US military preparations in the Korean Peninsula area are only escalating tension and this should be avoided.
The next stages in settling the Syrian conflict were discussed too, including steps to build on the memorandum on establishing a de-escalation zone in Syria’s southwest, agreed between Russia, the United States and Jordan in July. Mr Lavrov reiterated the need to respect in full Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the provisions of the UN Security Council resolutions that lay the foundations for advancing the political process.
Other current international matters, including the internal conflict in Ukraine, were also discussed.
Mr Lavrov and Mr Tillerson discussed the situation concerning Russian-US relations, with Mr Lavrov noting that the US decision to impose new sanctions on Russia is the latest in a series of unfriendly steps that could jeopardise international stability and deals a powerful blow to prospects for bilateral cooperation. Unsurprisingly, Russia cannot simply ignore action of this kind, including the unlawful seizure of Russian diplomatic property since December last year. Russia will respond accordingly in the future. At the same time, we are ready to normalise relations if Washington abandons its confrontational line.
Other issues discussed included the situation on the Korean Peninsula following the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2371 on August 5. Mr Lavrov said that US military preparations in the Korean Peninsula area are only escalating tension and this should be avoided.
The next stages in settling the Syrian conflict were discussed too, including steps to build on the memorandum on establishing a de-escalation zone in Syria’s southwest, agreed between Russia, the United States and Jordan in July. Mr Lavrov reiterated the need to respect in full Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the provisions of the UN Security Council resolutions that lay the foundations for advancing the political process.
Other current international matters, including the internal conflict in Ukraine, were also discussed.
