SOCHI: The US understands that Ukraine should not be encouraged to take hostile actions against Russia, but rather that the root causes o...
SOCHI: The US understands that Ukraine should not be encouraged to take hostile actions against Russia, but rather that the root causes of the crisis must be addressed, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference following a Russia - Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Strategic Dialogue meeting.
He also stressed that Israel's strike on Doha endangered civilians and diplomats from several countries.
Ukraine crisis
- The US recognizes that Ukraine should not be goaded into aggression against Russia, "but rather focus on eliminating the root causes of the crisis."
- Russia expressed gratitude to GCC countries for their "balanced approach" to the Ukraine crisis and for their assistance in resolving humanitarian issues.
Middle East crisis
- Russia is ready to support efforts to normalize relations between Iran and the Persian Gulf countries "to the extent that the parties are willing."
- Moscow is discussing the Palestinian-Israeli settlement with the US, noting that current trends are "very alarming."
- Consolidated efforts are needed to resolve the situation in the Middle East "in order to develop compromise political solutions to existing problems and contradictions, based on the interests of all parties involved."
- Lavrov warned that the settlement process is on the brink: "It is quite possible that the international community will be forced to accept the position currently being promoted by Israel, namely that there is no need for a Palestinian state."
Israel’s strikes on Doha
- Russia and the GCC "unequivocally condemned" Israel’s strikes on Doha on September 9 and "stressed the inadmissibility of repeating such steps against sovereign states under any pretext."
- The parties highlighted "a fundamental lack of logic in Israel’s actions:" "It is absurd to demand that Hamas fulfill the conditions for a truce while at the same time seeking to destroy its leadership and the negotiators themselves."
- Lavrov emphasized that Israel’s strike endangered civilians and diplomats: "The target of the attack - the building that was destroyed - is located in the Doha quarter housing about 10 foreign embassies. It is next to a road regularly used by our embassy staff in Qatar on their way to work and to visit a gas station, which is very close to the site of the strike."
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