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ASEAN Countries Show Interest in Russia's Proposal for New Eurasian Security - Lavrov

ASEAN countries have expressed interest in Russia’s idea of forming a new security architecture in Eurasia, as they understand that the West is pushing for narrower formats within ASEAN to restrain China and Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a press conference following the ASEAN Summit on Saturday.
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"The West is still pushing for narrower formats with an outspoken goal, it does not hide it — to restrain China and Russia. Our ASEAN partners understand this perfectly well and have shown interest in the initiative of [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin, which I have already mentioned, of a Eurasian security system that would be indivisible and equal," Lavrov said at a press conference following the Russia-ASEAN meeting and the ministerial meeting of the East Asia Summit in Laos.
The Russian foreign minister noted that the talks touched on the need to work out a single indivisible security system open to all countries on the Eurasian continent, with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Eurasian Economic Union being good examples of such an effort.
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Russia is concerned about the plans of the United States and South Korea to carry out joint nuclear planning, Minister Lavrov noted.
"Another worrying aspect is that the United States has recently concluded an agreement with South Korea on joint nuclear planning," Lavrov told the press conference, adding that "so far, we cannot even get an explanation of what this [agreement] means, but we have no doubt that it causes additional anxiety."
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Russia is trying to ensure that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has full control over the activities of AUKUS in the issue of the deployment of nuclear weapons components in the Asia-Pacific Region, Lavrov pointed out.

"The first step was taken when the AUKUS bloc was being created - the US, the UK and Australia - a project to build nuclear-powered submarines. The topic is very risky and requires constant full control by the IAEA, for which the AUKUS members are not quite ready, but we are also trying to ensure that the Atomic Energy Agency uses its powers to the fullest extent, so that there is full transparency. But, so far, we have not been very successful in doing so," he said at the press conference.

The Russian foreign minister noted that he will discuss US maneuvers around the Korean Peninsula with his South Korean counterpart, Cho Tae-yul, later in the day in Laos.
"The new foreign minister asked for this meeting... I will listen to him, since he has asked for a meeting he probably has something to say. For my part, I will openly convey our assessment of the situation into which Seoul is being dragged deeper and deeper. I am referring first and foremost to American maneuvers around the Korean peninsula with the aim of isolating and punishing the DPRK," he said.
Sergey Lavrov also expressed hope that ASEAN members will recognize the danger lurking in US plans to deploy intermediate- and short-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific region.

"When the United States withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, it began producing land-based missiles that are prohibited by this treaty, and information has already been circulating about their plans to deploy such missiles in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. I hope that ASEAN countries are well aware of the danger that Washington's plan poses," he emphasized.

Minister Lavrov said that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi informed him about talks with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmitry Kuleba.
"Wang Yi told us how his conversations with Kuleba went, and we feel that the Chinese position remains unchanged. The Chinese position, once again, is to focus on root causes [of the Ukraine conflict]," Lavrov noted.

"As for the format, the Chinese position is very clearly formulated in their documents - there can be talks about preparing for a conference of some kind, some kind of multilateral event only if the parameters and conditions for convening this event are acceptable to all parties. And only if all available initiatives are put on the agenda. This is a direct refusal to work based only on [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky's peace formula, which is a dead-end, utopian, illusory and will never materialize," he said.

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The United States' plans to deploy intermediate-range missiles in Germany are not dependent on Russia's military operation in Ukraine, Lavrov pointed out.
"No one asked [German Chancellor Olaf] Scholz about the intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles that are now planned to be deployed in Germany, whether the Germans want such deployment or not. Again, when the news broke, he simply said: 'I welcome the US decision to deploy missiles in Germany. This is a good decision.' He did not hide the fact that the decision was an American one," he elaborated.
"The special military operation has nothing to do with it. The plans were in place, the plans remain," the minister noted.
The West is attempting to restrain political processes in Myanmar by increasing sanctions on its leadership and supporting radical opposition groups, the Russian minister added.

"Unfortunately, the West is trying to hold back political processes, trying to put the Myanmar leadership under more and more sanctions, while at the same time financing and arming the radical opposition. This is certainly not helping the cause," Lavrov told reporters.

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