Foreign Ministers from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) support negotiations between Israel and Palestine and are advocating for a ceasefire. The ministers are considering the potential of agreeing on a unified position regarding the conflict, as stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in a briefing following the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers meeting.
"Today, we addressed this issue, and we will assess whether it's possible to agree on a unified position for official presentation at the [CIS] summit. Nevertheless, there is a unanimous consensus among us. In our discussions today within a smaller group, we emphasized the urgency of bringing an immediate end to this conflict. It is crucial to uphold international humanitarian law, deter any acts of terrorism, and halt the indiscriminate use of force, as it is leading to substantial civilian casualties on both sides," he remarked.
Lavrov underscored the importance of addressing the core issues of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as Russian President Vladimir Putin told the previous day.
Russia looks forward to a post-ceasefire scenario where both Palestine and Israel can recommit to the implementation of UN resolutions, added the Russian Foreign Minister.
"We sincerely hope that once this conflict, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, comes to an end – and we advocate for an immediate cessation – all parties involved will demonstrate a firm commitment to upholding the UN Security Council decision regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state. This decision is based on the principles that have been approved by the United Nations," he expressed.
Lavrov also noted that for decades, the UN decision concerning the creation of a Palestinian state has been undermined, primarily by the United States, which seeks to monopolize and control mediation efforts. "They aim to marginalize Russia, the UN, the European Union, thus disrupting the efforts of the Quartet of international mediators. President Putin has provided a comprehensive evaluation of such actions," Lavrov concluded.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS