🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks and answers to media questions following the SCO Foreign Ministers Council meeting (Astana, May 21, 2024)
Key talking points:
▪️ At a group meeting of the heads of delegations with President of Kazakhstan and during the Ministerial Council meeting (https://t.me/MFARussia/20291), we expressed our deepest condolences and solidarity with the Iranian people, as well as confidence that Tehran will continue its foreign policy, including with regard to its active participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
• The #SCO remains one of the supporting pillars of the multipolar world order. It is well positioned to become a driving force behind transforming Eurasia into a single continental space of peace, stability, mutual trust and progress.
• Security can be reliably ensured only by the Eurasian countries themselves, without the intervention of extra-regional forces. We observe such attempts on the part of the United States, the European Union and NATO, which strive to assume responsibility for everything that happens in the region.
• We are all aware of the importance of intensifying the work of the SCO, considering its weight and role in Eurasia, and its partners, including the OSCE, the CIS, the EAEU, and ASEAN.
• Developing common approaches to ensuring Eurasian security and cooperation by the countries of this continent is a crucial goal. We underscored that the SCO could well catalyse these processes with the involvement of other partners in the region.
• The SCO has two observers and 14 dialogue partners. Recently, Laos and Algeria have applied for partner status. We discussed improving the efficiency of interaction with these countries within the SCO Plus format.
🇧🇾 Starting from the July summit, Belarus will become a full-fledged SCO member. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko will take part in all events of the Astana summit without exception. The Belarusian minister attended our discussion.
🇲🇳 Mongolia is the obvious next candidate for SCO membership.
Read in full: http://tiny.cc/wi87yz
— Occupied Kashmir: Ongoing large scale protests in Ganderbal, occupied Kashmir. Protestors are demanding the return of the body of Rashid Ahmad Mughal, who was killed and dumped in a fake encounter by occupying Indian forces 17 days ago, his dead body is still being held by occupying authorities.
#Kashmir
@NewsFromKashmir
— Occupied Kashmir: Hundreds of apple trees were cut down in Kaharwat village in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district. The entire orchard has been destroyed, likely by Hindu settlers under the protection of the occupying Indian army, mirroring the ecocide in Palestine with the destruction of olive trees by “Israeli” settlers and the occupying "Israeli" army.
#Kashmir
@NewsFromKashmir
— Occupied Kashmir: Internet services have been suspended in Ramban and the surrounding areas by the occupying authorities to stop the spread of the protests.
#Kashmir
@NewsFromKashmir
— Occupied Kashmir: A Kashmiri youth has beaten to death in a mob lynching by Hindu goons in Ramban.
According to Kashmir Media Service, 25 year old Tanveer Ahmad Chopan was travelling along with his cattle from Jammu to his native village Mundkhal in Pogal, Ramban district, when he was intercepted in the Kamarkote area by goons affiliated with Hindutva outfits, including BJP, RSS and Bajrang Dal. The attackers targeted the Muslim youth under the pretext of so-called “Gau Raksha” (cow vigilantes) and beat him to death.
A complete shutdown is being observed across the Ramban district, and protests are currently ongoing.
#Kashmir
@NewsFromKashmir
— Occupied Kashmir: The Kashmiri civilian killed in a staged encounter by occupying Indian forces has been identified as Rashid Ahmad Mughal. He was 28 years old, a labourer from Chountwaliwar village in the Lar area of Ganderbal, and a commerce postgraduate.
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
#Kashmir
@NewsFromKashmir
— Occupied Kashmir: "My brother was not a militant, he was an ordinary citizen"
The plea of the brother of a Kashmiri youth martyred by the occupying Indian forces
The brother of a Kashmiri youth martyred by brutal Indian soldiers in the Ganderbal district of illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir said that his brother had no connection with militancy but was an ordinary young man. The occupying Indian soldiers martyred a Kashmiri youth named Rashid Ahmed Mughal yesterday during a siege and search operation in the district's Arahama area in a fake encounter. The Indian army claimed that the martyred youth was a militant and was killed in a clash with soldiers. However, the martyr's brother, Ijaz Ahmed, told an Indian daily that his brother was a common youth. He said that he left home on Tuesday morning but did not return. He said that when the police asked to identify the body on Wednesday, it was found that the martyred youth was his brother. Ijaz Ahmed said that his brother was innocent and was killed without reason. He said they would file a case with the police regarding this and want a complete and transparent investigation into the matter.
#Kashmir
@NewsFromKashmir
— Occupied Kashmir: BREAKING!
A Kashmiri civilian was killed in a staged encounter in the Manigam area of Ganderbal. An encounter was reported yesterday, however by this morning it became clear that the body of a Kashmiri civilian had been shot, dumped, and presented as that of a militant.
#Kashmir
@NewsFromKashmir
🇮🇷🏴 The 40th martyrdom ceremony of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of the Islamic Revolution, was held this morning in the large stadium of the city of Skardu, attended by thousands of people from the Gilgit-Baltistan region in northern Kashmir.
#Iran#Kashmir
#Jammu & #Kashmir: "Kashmir Tigers" reportedly ambushed Indian Forces and killed several soldiers in #Kishtwar.
KT fighters seemingly captured a modified #Romania-made 🇷🇴 "PM md. 90" assault rifle as well. The attack reportedly took place on Sep 21.
https://x.com/war_noir/status/1975928354327920924
✨️Ambassador Albert P. Khorev's Interview with “Mehran TV”
Full interview available in Urdu
Key points:
#BilateralTrade
🔸️Over the past two years, the annual trade turnover between #Russia and #Pakistan has amounted to approximately $1 billion USD. Our governments understand that this figure does not reflect our countries' existing potential, and they are making efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation. One effective mechanism in this regard is the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation, which will hold its 10th milestone meeting in November 2025 in Islamabad;
🔸️There is potential for increased fuel, petroleum products, and grain supplies from Russia to Pakistan, as well as for increased imports of Pakistani textiles, leather, and agricultural products to Russia;
#JointProjects
🔸️We are considering a number of infrastructure projects, including the modernization or construction of a new Karachi Steel Mill and railway tracks, as well as the supply of Russian pharmaceutical products, with the option of joint production;
🔸️We look forward to implementing new projects in the energy and transportation sectors. Given the recent establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Armenia, we believe that a free trade agreement between Pakistan and the #EAEU is possible in the future;
🔸️The successful modernization of the Karachi Steel Mill will pave the way for more productive cooperation;
#TradeInNationalCurrencies
🔸️Most of Russia's export operations with friendly countries, including #SCO member states, are conducted in national currencies. The US dollar is slowly but surely losing ground. The process of diversifying payment instruments is succeeding;
#SituationInTheRegion
🔸️Russia respects the right of regional countries, including Pakistan, to choose their own foreign policy partners independently. South Asian countries' engagement with the West is an internal matter. However, we consider it inappropriate if such engagement is directed against any state or group of states;
🔸️We have noted the Americans' and their NATO allies' active efforts to return to #Afghanistan after their infamous retreat in 2021. Donald Trump's statements about the U.S.'s desire to retake control of the #Bagram Air Base and his demands that India stop purchasing Russian oil are unacceptable. They represent yet another manifestation of Western neocolonialism;
🔸️The recent SCO summit in China demonstrated the declining influence of extra-regional forces. There is a growing demand for Russian President Vladimir Putin's initiative to establish a Eurasian security system based on the principle of "regional solutions to regional problems;"
#MoscowFormat
🔸️The Moscow Format Consultations bring together all of Afghanistan's neighboring countries, including Russia and Pakistan. This regional mechanism has proven its effectiveness. All its members agree that the return of U.S. and NATO military infrastructure to Afghanistan is unacceptable;
#Kashmir
🔸️Pakistan and India inherited the Kashmir issue from their British colonial past. We believe that Islamabad and New Delhi should resolve their differences through political and diplomatic means. At the same time, if it receives appropriate signals from both sides, Russia is ready to contribute to improving relations between the two countries and make the necessary efforts in international forums, including the #UN.
#RussiaPakistan