Transcript of Remarks and Response to Media Questions by Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov at Joint Press Conference Following Talks with Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Patricia Espinosa, Moscow, October 8, 2008

Foreign Minister Lavrov:  Esteemed colleagues,

The focus of our talks today was bilateral relations, first of all with respect to trade and economics. Russia and Mexico are keen to diversify the basket of trade, which is fast growing, but still does not match the two countries' potential. We are keen to develop new large-scale joint projects, especially in the energy sector. We expect a new impulse in this direction to be given by holding the fourth session of the Russia-Mexico Mixed Commission on Economic, Commercial, Scientific-Technical Cooperation and Marine Navigation. Also, a second bilateral Business Forum is planned to be held.

During the present talks we concentrated particularly on economic problems and the theme of the financial crisis. We agreed to collaborate actively on these issues, bilaterally as well as in the context of support for international initiatives with the participation of all major world economies.

We are pleased with the development of humanitarian and cultural contacts and exchanges that occur and are planned in this sphere. We expect the upcoming Days of Mexico in Moscow next month to be a conspicuous event in our relations.

We are naturally keen to build up our cooperation in international affairs in the most diverse formats, including the UN, its specialized institutions, APEC, the Heiligendamm Dialogue Process and the Group of Eight. This is in the interests of creating a new, fairer and safer world order relying upon the United Nations' central role and enshrining the supremacy of international law.

We paid special attention to the task of cooperating in the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking. This theme will increasingly resound in our bilateral relations. Russia and Mexico alike will actively support greater international cooperation in the struggle against these phenomena.

We note the well-considered position of the Mexican side on dealing with conflicts and crises. Mexico traditionally stands for strict compliance with the norms of international law. In our joint statement which has just been signed we express support to the settlement in the Caucasus based on the implementation of the agreements between the presidents of Russia and France.

Russia reaffirmed its interest in the all-round development of cooperation with the regional associations of Latin America. We see in Latin America a new emerging center of economic growth and political influence. We believe this is utterly consistent with the objective tendencies toward the formation of a multipolar world order.

In concrete terms I want to congratulate Mexico as the current President of the Rio Group on the good performance of this association in dealing with a number of regional problems and to thank the Mexican Presidency of the Rio Group for promoting the mechanisms of interaction between this association and the Russian Federation. In New York in the framework of the UN General Assembly session we had a very successful and fruitful regular meeting between Russia and the Rio Group at ministerial level.

On the whole, we are satisfied with the course of the talks and I thank Mrs. Patricia Espinosa for this cooperation.

Question:  Is any progress expected at the talks in Geneva on Caucasus problems?

Foreign Minister Lavrov:  We hope that the Geneva discussions which in line with the Medvedev-Sarkozy plan are opening on October 15, and now their organizational and procedural aspect is being elaborated, will lead to agreements which will make it possible to reinforce security in the region. Pursuant to the Medvedev-Sarkozy plan, this is the central question in these international discussions. With the deployment of the European Union's observers in the areas adjacent to South Ossetia and Abkhazia we will have to discuss specific steps which will help prevent a repeat of the use of force, I believe. The European Union has assumed the role as guarantor of the nonuse of force against South Ossetia and Abkhazia. In Geneva it will be important to look at how this role can be filled with real content. This must surely involve establishing, and strictly complying with, a special regime in the areas abutting South Ossetia and Abkhazia which would prevent provocations. Unfortunately, in the last few days as EU observers were being deployed such provocations by the Georgian side did take place. Control of Georgia's fulfillment of its pledge to return all its forces to their places of permanent deployment should also be secured in line with the Medvedev-Sarkozy plan. We will also try to see to it that the international observers in Georgia monitor the areas on Georgian territory from which the artillery shelling of Tskhinval and other South Ossetian settlements was conducted.

We consider that imposing an embargo on arms supplies to the present Georgian regime would in principle correspond to the ideal solution of the problem of ensuring security. And as an urgent step, in our deep conviction, an international ban on supplies to Georgia of offensive arms is a must.

We will consider all these issues in the framework of the main item of the agenda of the Geneva discussions, an item which in line with the Medvedev-Sarkozy plan must be dedicated to discussion of ways for reinforcing security and stability in the region. We hope for all others to participate in these discussions constructively, too.

Question:  Have foreign partners changed their attitude to the Russian President's proposal for the formation of a new system of international security in view of the financial crisis which has revealed the interdependence of countries?

Foreign Minister Lavrov:  President Medvedev's initiative for developing a new treaty on European, Euro-Atlantic security is being discussed outside of a direct relationship with discussions around the financial crisis. We feel a growing interest in the development of such a pan-European treaty. Consultations on this issue within the CSTO are scheduled to be held very soon. We have a whole array of proposals from our European partners to hold such consultations. I am convinced that the development of events after the Caucasus crisis forces an ever-increasing number of countries to think in just this direction because the European security architecture inherited mostly from the Cold War period and still in existence obviously does not cope with the tasks of maintaining peace and stability in this region. Therefore we will be working at this theme, listening to our partners and attracting the expert community. Today during the Evian Conference on World Politics Russian President Medvedev is going to speak on this topic in detail. He announced this yesterday on his internet site.

As to the financial crisis, this theme has something in common with the theme of security only in that here too the existing model has not worked. The events of the last few weeks clearly show the need for substantial reforms in the sphere of international finances as well.

We have with Mexico a common understanding of that need and a common interest in facilitating discussion on this major problem at the international level.

October 8, 2008