Russia is ready to cooperate closely with the countries of the Muslim world, with which Moscow has the same or similar positions on most of the current issues. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said this on Thursday in a welcoming video address to the participants of the XIV International Economic Forum "Russia - Islamic World: KazanForum."
"We are ready for the closest cooperation with friends from the Muslim world," the Russian foreign minister pointed out. - "With all other partners who share an interest in strengthening the legal and democratic foundations of international life."
"Russia traditionally develops friendly relations with the overwhelming majority of Muslim countries. We are united by a commitment to building interstate cooperation on the principles of equality, mutual consideration of interests and a search for a balance of interests. We have always consistently supported the cultural and civilizational diversity of the peoples of the world and their natural right to determine their own models and paths of development. We share the same or very similar positions on most pressing issues of our time, cooperate productively at the UN and other multilateral platforms", stressed Lavrov.
The minister singled out promotion of interreligious and intercultural dialogue and understanding, consolidation of efforts to protect traditional spiritual and moral values common to all world religions, as well as the fight against Islamophobia, including through the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the OSCE as priorities for Russian diplomacy.
Collective problem-solving
Lavrov noted that Russia proceeds from the fact that the development of international relations in a confrontational mode is a dead end, it is necessary to avoid a dangerous confrontation of world centers.
"Russia consistently assumes that the development of international relations in a confrontational mode is a dead-end road. It is necessary to avoid senseless and extremely dangerous confrontation between world centers. There is a need to reach a new, verified balance of interests. It is important to ensure that the emerging multipolar world order is regulated not by force, but precisely by law, based on the UN Charter and, above all, on unconditional respect for the principle of the sovereign equality of states. It is necessary to seek collective, and thus effective, solutions to the urgent problems of our time. And here the role of diplomats can hardly be overestimated," said the minister.
Lavrov called the strengthening of "a new, more stable, fair and democratic polycentric world order" the main trend of modern international development. "The new world centers in Eurasia, the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America are making impressive progress in various fields - relying on independence, state sovereignty and cultural and civilizational identity. At the same time, they are guided by their own national interests and pursue an independent foreign policy," stressed the head of the Russian foreign ministry.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS