The region of the Middle East will retain its geopolitical significance even after the transition to a carbon-free economy, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday, speaking at a special session of the Middle East conference of the Valdai international discussion club.
"The importance of the region will remain even when humanity moves to a carbon-free economy. Such goals are being set now. Some people call 2050, some call 2060, but for sure the significance of hydrocarbons will gradually decrease. Nevertheless, taking into consideration the strategic importance of the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf, I have no doubt that the big players will remain interested in this region," the Minister pointed out.
According to the head of the Russian diplomatic mission, the region has acquired "enormous geopolitical significance" with the strengthening role of hydrocarbons in the world economy. The interest of external players in the region was dictated primarily by access to these resources, but in the future, the geographical factor will remain of strategic importance, he pointed out.
"Here is the crossroads of many international routes, the Suez Canal. Now we saw what happened when one container ship maneuvered unsuccessfully in this artery," Lavrov reminded.
The Minister regretted that at this stage, the interest of external players "is translated into rivalry far from always by diplomatic means." "We would be in favor of this region ceasing to be an arena of a clash between the leading powers, that these interests would be balanced, to reconcile them both between the countries of the region, and between partners that are outside the regional structure," concluded the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS