Russia Wrap-Up

I didn’t get a chance to post these yesterday, so here they are:

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) welcomes US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Moscow, Russia, 18 March 2010. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said 18 March that the US was "no longer an enemy, but also not yet a friend," shortly before talks with US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Interfax news agency reported. Clinton arrived in Moscow early 18 March for talks on nuclear disarmament and the Middle East. EPA/SERGEI CHIRIKOV --- Image by © SERGEI CHIRIKOV

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (unseen) in Moscow, 18 March 2010.

FOREIGN MINISTER LAVROV: (Via interpreter) I would like to reaffirm that the recent meeting between Her Excellency Secretary of State of the United States Madam Hillary Clinton and the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev reaffirmed the fact that our relations are now on the rise. They’ve obtained new dynamics (inaudible) and reaching quality to a new level.

So the President highlighted that last year we’ve managed to perform a true reset in our relationship to turn down, to turn back the – reverse the degrading of our relations that was in place before the Obama Administration came to power and increase the intensity on our content at all levels of executive power.

Our relations today are conducted in accordance with the principles of honesty, openness and full compliance with all agreements arranged. The President highlighted specifically that he is very satisfied with how Geneva negotiators comply with tasks that are formulated for them by Presidents Obama and Medvedev accordingly and that he hopes that in short period of time they will be able to complete negotiations of the new START Treaty.

He also highlighted that they would reach specific agreements that would allow to step up our cooperation that would modernize Russian economy, would put it in on more nominative tract and that will be done using specific instruments.

As to international agendas, special attention was given to the Iranian nuclear program and Afghanistan sentiment. We share understanding that along those two problems, just like in many other cases, we need come up with coordinated, collective approaches and then implement them efficiently. And in this context, Russian president reaffirmed Russia’s readiness and desire to cooperate with the U.S. and other partners along this and other tracts.

So in conclusion, let me say a few words about my personal impressions from this meeting. I believe that the reset was a true success and we needn’t stop. At this point we need to continue advancing. We need to avoid any interruptions in this cooperation. And I believe that this visit of Madam Secretary of State can be considered as fueling in the air.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you. Let me echo Minister Lavrov’s comments. As President Medvedev said at the very beginning of our meeting, the reset has been a success. And now we have to build on the relationships that we have developed, starting between our two presidents, and going throughout our governments.

The bilateral commission that Sergey and I direct under the leadership of our Presidents is making a lot of progress. Let me give you just one example. Just recently there was a delegation from the United States consisting of high technology companies that came to Russia, visited with many businesses and academic institutions and innovators looking for ways to deepen the relationship between our high-tech businesses and academic institutions.

Later this spring there will be a exchange between young people as part of our sports program where young Russians will come to the United States for the purpose of playing basketball. So our relationship is not just between our governments, it is increasingly between the American and Russian people.

As Sergey said, we are very encouraged by progress on a new START agreement. Our negotiating teams have reported that they have resolved all of the major issues and there are some technical issues that remain, but we are on the brink of seeing a new agreement between the United States and Russia.

We also discussed a range of other issues from Iran to Afghanistan and so much more as our part of our ongoing consultation. And we look forward to welcoming President Medvedev back to Washington for the Nuclear Security Summit in a few weeks.

Again, I thank Minister Lavrov for his hospitality and the very cooperative working relationship that we enjoy.

QUESTION: (Via interpreter) Russian TV channel NTV. So my question goes to both ministers. You’ve mentioned that in terms of new START agreement negotiations only some technicalities remain to be agreed. So my question is as follows: Does the link between the reduction of strategic offense arms and the deployment of U.S. ABM system facilities in Europe exist and whether – as far as I understand, you have not identified the timeframes for signing this new START Treaty. But do you think it might happen? Have you at least come up with a location? Will it happen in Washington or some rumors ago that it might be in Kiev, or are you for Prague?

And Sergey – Minister Lavrov, do you really think – do you really expect to hear – answer to that question immediately?

FOREIGN MINISTER LAVROV: (Via interpreter) So answering your first question I can say last April, when the first meeting of the two presidents took place, they issued a statement in which they stated that there is a link between strategic offensive and defensive weapons and the current teams of negotiations when they – and they’ve instructed their governments to take this relationship into account. And current teams of negotiators that work in Geneva at the moment act in accordance with the tasks that were formulated by the president – in particular in accordance with the tasks formulated by the president. I want to be interpreted exactly – literally, I would say.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Let me say that we are very pleased by progress that has been made. And we hope and expect that there will be a signing in the near future. But as Sergey said, we are not going to preempt any announcement of place or time on this occasion.

Because I’m not bilingual, you can say anything and I’ll agree.

QUESTION: Good afternoon. Mark Landler from The New York Times. Also a question for both of you. It has been seven months since the disclosure of the secret Iranian nuclear facility at Qom, three months since the Iranian government rejected the offer of enrichment for the Tehran research reactor, and one month since the government of Iran announced it would begin enriching uranium up to 20 percent. And yet, after (inaudible) an international solidarity on how to confront Iran are continuing and taking by all accounts longer than anyone had hoped, there have been some comments recently from diplomats that we might not see a UN resolution until June.

My question is simply whether you worry that the clock is in some sense running out? And what you would hope to do to speed up this process?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, first of all, we have pursued the diplomatic track and thought it was correct to do so. We are now, however, at the stage where we are asking for action and are working very hard in the Security Council to attain a resolution expressing the international community’s disapproval of Iranian actions and pulling together the world in a regime of smart sanctions, as President Medvedev has referred to them, that will try to change the behavior of the Iranian leadership. And we believe we are making progress because many countries are seeing what you have briefly summarized along with the latest report from the International Atomic Energy Agency, and we expect to reach consensus around an appropriate response.

FOREIGN MINISTER LAVROV: (Via interpreter) What I can add is that we follow very closely all the information that is published in the media including your media, The New York Times, about new facts that are somehow in one way or another linked with any suspicions on the Iranian nuclear program. We would, of course, prefer that those people that obtain such information publish it immediately without any delays. But I want to highlight that we do follow it closely. But of course, we’re guided not by assessments given by media people or political analysts but the IAEA specialists, which is an internationally recognized instrument of the international community in this world. And reports that IAEA Director General publishes on regular basis contains very precise assessment that do not give reasons to any sort of alarms.

But that does not mean that we are satisfied with the Iranian actions. What we see is that they are letting the opportunity to establish normal, respectful, mutually beneficial dialogue with the international community slip away. And this dialogue was put on the table by the IAEA and the 3+3 format.

So we are continuing our consultations with Iran. We believe that they need to comply with statements made or with requirements that were once put on the table by the IAEA and were reaffirmed on numerous occasions by the Security Council. So we’ll try to make them comply with them, but we do not exclude the possibility that additional work in the UN Security Council might be required.

As President Medvedev put it on numerous occasions, sanctions are never beneficial, but there are some instances where they are impossible to avoid, and the Iranian case might be one of such instance. And as President Medvedev also mentioned on a number of occasions and he reaffirmed that today that sanctions must be smart. They must not be aggressive. They must not paralyze the life of Iranian state. They must not degrade the humanitarian situation and the country. They must not be targeted against the population but rather against those people that are in charge of the decision making process and that identified already in position on the international arena.

And we reaffirmed to our U.S. partners today that we are prepared to continue our cooperation in accordance with the outlined principles. I thank you.

And from the Joint Statement issued by the Quartet:

The Quartet – U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George Mitchell, and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union Catherine Ashton – met in Moscow on March 19,2010. They were joined by Quartet Representative Tony Blair.

Reaffirming the fundamental principles laid down in its statement in Trieste on June 26, 2009, the Quartet welcomes the readiness to launch proximity talks between Israel and the Palestinians. The Quartet emphasizes that the circumstances which made it possible to agree to launch the proximity talks be respected. The proximity talks are an important step toward the resumption, without pre-conditions, of direct bilateral negotiations that resolve all final status issues as previously agreed by the parties. The Quartet believes these negotiations should lead to a settlement, negotiated between the parties within 24 months, that ends the occupation which began in 1967 and results in the emergence of an independent, democratic, and viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel and its other neighbors. The Quartet reiterates that Arab-Israeli peace and the establishment of a peaceful state of Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza is in the fundamental interests of the parties, of all the states in the region, and of the international community. In this regard, the Quartet calls on all states to support dialogue between the parties.

The Quartet reiterates its call on Israel and the Palestinians to act on the basis of international law and on their previous agreements and obligations – in particular adherence to the Roadmap, irrespective of reciprocity – to promote an environment conducive to successful negotiations and re-affirms that unilateral actions taken by either party cannot prejudge the outcome of negotiations and will not be recognized by the international community. The Quartet urges the government of Israel to freeze all settlement activity, including natural growth, to dismantle outposts erected since March 2001, and to refrain from demolitions and evictions in East Jerusalem. The Quartet also calls on both sides to observe calm and restraint and to refrain from provocative actions and inflammatory rhetoric especially in areas of cultural and religious sensitivity. Noting the significant progress on security achieved by the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, the Quartet calls on the Palestinian Authority to continue to make every effort to improve law and order, to fight violent extremism and to end incitement. The Quartet emphasizes the need to assist the Palestinian Authority in building its law enforcement capacity.

Recalling that the annexation of East Jerusalem is not recognized by the international community, the Quartet underscores that the status of Jerusalem is a permanent status issue that must be resolved through negotiations between the parties and condemns the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem. The Quartet re-affirms its intention to closely monitor developments in Jerusalem and to keep under consideration additional steps that may be required to address the situation on the ground. The Quartet recognizes the parties can mutually agree on an outcome that realizes the aspirations of both parties for Jerusalem, and safeguards its status for people around the world.

Recalling that transformative change on the ground is integral to peace, the Quartet continues to support the Palestinian Authority ‘s plan of August 2009 for building the Palestinian state within 24 months as a demonstration of Palestinians’ serious commitment to an independent state that provides good governance, opportunity, justice, and security for the Palestinian people from the first day that it is established and is a responsible neighbor to all states in the region. The Quartet takes positive note of Israel’s steps to ease restrictions of movement in the West Bank and calls for further and sustained steps to facilitate the state building efforts of the Palestinian Authority. The Quartet endorses fully the efforts of the Quartet Representative in support of Prime Minister Fayyad’s state-building and economic development program which has seen significant improvement in the Palestinian Authority’s performance with respect to security and law and order and improved economic growth. The Quartet supports the Quartet Representative in his vital efforts to promote change on the ground in aid of the political negotiations.

The Quartet further calls on all states in the region and in the wider international community to match the Palestinian commitment to state-building by contributing immediate, concrete, and sustained support for the Palestinian Authority and, in the regard, looks forward to the upcoming meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) to coordinate international support for the Palestinian state building effort.

The Quartet is deeply concerned by the continuing deterioration in Gaza, including the humanitarian and human rights situation of the civilian population, and stresses the urgency of a durable resolution to the Gaza crisis. The Quartet calls for a solution that addresses Israel’s legitimate security concerns, including an end to weapons smuggling into Gaza; promotes Palestinian unity based on the PLO commitments and the re-unification of Gaza and the West Bank under the legitimate Palestinian Authority; and ensures the opening of the crossings to allow for the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid, commercial goods, and persons to and from Gaza, consistent with UN Security Council Resolution 1860. The Quartet takes positive note that the Israeli government has just communicated its approval of a number of the UN Secretary General’s civilian recovery projects, including a staled housing project in Khan Younis and looks forward to their early implementation The Quartet condemns yesterday’s rocket fire from Gaza and calls for an immediate end to violence and terror and for calm to be respected. The Quartet reiterates its call for the immediate release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Recognizing the significance of the Arab Peace Initiative, the Quartet looks forward to closer cooperation with the parties and the Arab League and urgers regional governments to support publicly the resumption of bilateral negotiations, enter into structured regional dialogue on issues of common convern, and take steps to foster positive relations throughout the region in the context of progress towards comprehensive peace on the basis of UN Security Council Resolutions 242, 338, 1397, 1515, and 1850 and the Madrid principles, including through the conclusion of peace agreements between Israel and Syria and Israel and Lebanon.

The Quartet commits to remain actively involved on all tracks and to encourage and review progress. The Quartet commits to meet regularly and tasks the envoys to intensify their cooperation, to maintain contacts with the Arab League Committee on the Arab Peace Initiative, and to formulate recommendations for Quartet action.

The Quartet re-affirms its previous statements and supports, in consultation with the parties, an international conference in Moscow at the appropriate time concurrent with direct negotiations.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Quartet Representative Tony Blair, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton enter the hall for talks in Moscow, Marnch 19, 2010. Middle East mediators from Europe, the United States, Russia and the U.N. met on Friday seeking to defuse the latest crisis in peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians. REUTERS/Alexander Natruskin

And at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier:

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