MOSCOW (Sputnik) – McCully and Lavrov met in Moscow earlier in the day to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation within international organizations.
"We had very good talks, we decided to start again our full-format cooperation," Lavrov told reporters after the meeting.
According to the Russian official, Moscow’s and Wellington’s approaches on many international issues coincide.
"Out talks confirm our aim to renew the full-format cooperation," he added.
McCully said he had discussed the situation in Syria with his Lavrov, underlining Moscow’s influence in the region.
"Syria was discussed, we hope to find a way forward in Syria… we underline the influence of Russia in the region," McCully told reporters after the meeting.
On February 27, a US-Russia brokered ceasefire came into force in Syria. Terrorist groups such as Daesh as well as Jabhat Fatah al Sham (previously known as al-Nusra Front), both outlawed in Russia and a range of other states, are not part of the deal.
The implementation of the Minsk accord on settling the Ukrainian conflict will improve trade relations between Russia and New Zealand, McCully said.
"We see a significant scope for trade and economic relationship to be improved. The decline that occurred in trade is not the consequence of sanctions or countersanctions… We place considerable support behind the Minsk agreements and believe these agreements will set the scene for policy settings changes."
