Russia's Lavrov accuses Nato of fanning tensions in South China Sea
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Mr Sergei Lavrov also accused Nato of trying to drag India into what he called an anti-Russian and Chinese alliance.
PHOTO: REUTERS
MOSCOW - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday accused Nato of whipping up tensions near China in a way that posed risks for Russia.
“The South China Sea is now becoming one of those regions where Nato is not averse, as they once did in Ukraine, to escalating tensions,” Mr Lavrov told a news conference.
“We know how seriously China takes such provocations, not to mention Taiwan and the Taiwan Strait, and we understand that Nato playing with fire in these regions carries threats and risks for the Russian Federation. It is as close to our shores and to our seas as Chinese territory,” he said.
Mr Lavrov said that was why Russia was developing military cooperation with China and conducting joint exercises.
“The fact that Nato members under the leadership of the United States are trying to create an explosive situation there, in the wake of Europe, is well understood by everyone,” he said.
Mr Lavrov did not provide evidence to back his assertions, but alluded to the formation of the Aukus alliance between the United States, Britain and Australia.
He also accused Nato of trying to drag India into what he called an anti-Russian and anti-Chinese alliance at a time when he said the West was attempting to squeeze out Russian influence. In addition, he claimed the United States was trying to subvert the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean).
The Russian Foreign Minister said that Washington and the Nato alliance were involved in the Ukraine war because they were supplying arms to Ukraine and providing it with military training on their territory.
Howver, Moscow was ready to listen if anyone wanted to hold talks on Ukraine, he said, adding that Ukrainian allegations that Russia wanted talks in order to win time to regroup and rebuild its armed forces were absurd.
He said Russia would also be willing to return to talks with the West if it changed its mind about the merit of discussing security proposals that Moscow floated in December.
He also alleged that big problems had accumulated in the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), accusing the West of spurning the chance to make it a real bridge with Russia after the Cold War.
He gave a long recital of Russian historical grievances against the West, saying the “reckless enlargement” of Nato had devalued the basic principles of the OSCE. REUTERS
