Lavrov at conference
© Russia Insider
Russia's Foreign Minister urged the international community to denounce the 'philosophy of hegemony and one's own exclusivity' during the Sixth Moscow Conference on International Security. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has a simple, but beautiful idea: Let's not allow insane war hawks to drag the world into open conflict.

Speaking at the Sixth Moscow Conference on International Security on Wednesday, Lavrov reminded the audience that "the entire world history shows that wars are not unleashed by generals but by politicians". He also warned that "war hawks" are attempting to provoke escalation in Ukraine.

Lavrov commented on the worrying situations in Ukraine, the Korean Peninsula, and Syria. He finished his remarks by stating unequivocally that "Russia, jointly with its partners and like-minded countries, will continue to assert solid principles in global affairs and to form the entire new global governance system reflecting the 21st century imperatives. We are ready to work together, jointly search for various options to overcome our challenges on the basis of equality, mutual respect and consideration for each other's interests. We urge all our partners to do this."

Some highlights from his speech:
Provocations like the one that took place in Khan Sheikhoun on April 4 call for a professional investigation under the auspices of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and following a geographically balanced approach. This should be an open and transparent investigation. We are witnessing attempts to block this process, which only confirms our doubts in the good faith of those trying to exploit the April 4 incident in order to shift the agenda, abandon UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and advance with the long-standing idea of regime change in Syria.

[...]

If we look at another part of the world, the Euro-Atlantic region, one cannot but feel alarmed over its considerable residual conflict potential, which is largely fueled by NATO's unilateral actions. Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu has just discussed this in great detail. The unilateral deployment of the US global missile defence system's European segment is an extremely serious obstacle to strengthening strategic stability. This system is aimed at changing the balance of forces in the area of offensive arms. The deployment of an anti-missile umbrella can bolster the illusions of invulnerability and impunity and tempt one to make unilateral moves while addressing global and regional issues, including lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. The development of non-nuclear strategic weapons and efforts to prevent the conclusion of an agreement on the non-deployment of weapons in space have a negative impact on international security. The unwillingness or inability of the United States and some other countries to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) gives rise to more and more questions.

We are convinced that it is vital to establish a zone of equal and indivisible security from Vancouver to Vladivostok, as formalised by the decisions of OSCE summits and those of the Russia-NATO Council. More and more Europeans are advocating resumed dialogue in the interests of effectively addressing numerous issues for the purpose of establishing a European security architecture that would involve the Russian Federation.

The resolution of the intra-Ukrainian crisis by completely and consistently implementing the Minsk Package of Measures should help restore mutual trust. Unfortunately, the "war hawks" are gaining the upper hand in Kiev. Armed provocations continue along the demarcation line, as proved by reports of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine. A blockade imposed against Donbass continues to have a negative impact on this region and the whole of Ukraine. We expect our partners, including our Normandy format partners, to more insistently and openly compel the Kiev authorities to honour their obligations assumed in Minsk.

The entire world history shows that wars are not unleashed by generals but by politicians, who have special responsibility for maintaining peace and security. Obviously, it is impossible to accomplish successfully global tasks such as the fight against international terrorism, drug trafficking, organised crime and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction without renouncing the philosophy of hegemony and one's own exclusivity. It is high time we return to the basic principles of international life formalised in the UN Charter, including the sovereign equality of states, non-interference in domestic affairs and the resolution of disputes by peaceful means.

Russia, jointly with its partners and like-minded countries, will continue to assert solid principles in global affairs and to form the entire new global governance system reflecting the 21st century imperatives. We are ready to work together, jointly search for various options to overcome our challenges on the basis of equality, mutual respect and consideration for each other's interests. We urge all our partners to do this. Any other road will inevitably lead us all into a dead end.