Yes, we do differ on many current international issues. We regret that the Polish government has agreed to host elements of the US strategic anti-missile system near Russia's borders. We disagree with the view, shared by many Polish politicians, of the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict. An aggression launched by the Saakashvili regime forced Russia to undertake adequate military and political steps. Their purpose was to resist the aggression, protect soldier-peacekeepers and the civilian population, and prevent a potential genocide of the South Ossetian people. In conducting our foreign policy, we invariably observe principles formulated by President Dmitri Medvedev, including paying particular attention to regions where Russia has its privileged interests.
Russia-EU Relations
We are not delighted with the EU's decision to postpone talks on the new Russia-EU partnership agreement. What matters is that a majority of the EU member states at the 1 September summit in Brussels showed a responsible attitude, being well aware of the importance of cooperation with Russia, where a lot has been achieved in recent years. We appreciate the efforts of the French presidency and of the French president personally, thanks to which the Medvedev-Sarkozy plan had been worked out. We have fulfilled all our obligations. By attacking South Ossetia and violating its international obligations, the Tbilisi regime itself gave up on Georgia's territorial integrity. We call our partners to follow Russia's example and acknowledge the new realities. We believe that the statements, made by some countries' leaders, about Russia's 'imperialist' and 'revisionist' policies are completely wrong. We have always sided with the weaker, even at the risk of making these or other hegemonic states angry. The moral rightness of our position is undisputed.
The Nord Stream pipeline does not threaten Poland's interests. No reductions are planned or will be introduced of transit levels on the traditional directions of the export of Russian oil through Poland, Ukraine and Belarus.
Gazeta: The activities of Russian troops in Georgia, which continued destroying its infrastructure even though an informal ceasefire had been agreed, and the warlike rhetoric of some Moscow politicians mean that in the world, including in countries sympathetic towards Russia, your country is again perceived as an aggressive neighbour. Russia, in turn, pretends it doesn't care about this criticism at all. Aren't you afraid of isolation?
The isolation of Russia, one of the centres of the rising multi-polar world, is by principle not possible. I trust that pragmatism, common sense, and a positive - devoid of illusions and self-deception - attitude will prevail in international relations, as it often did in the past. In fact, the EU's decisions are evidence that a commonsensical, realistic point of view has indeed prevailed.
*Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Minister of Russia, for Gazeta
Translated by Marcin Wawrzyńczak
Źródło: Gazeta Wyborcza
