At the invitation of Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn, was in Moscow yesterday, Tuesday 13 September 2016, in the context of celebrations of the 125th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Grand Duchy and Russia.
During the visit, Minister Asselborn met with his Russian counterpart to review bilateral relations on areas of common interest between both countries.
The Ministers welcomed the ongoing dialogue between their countries at all levels, and the fact that economic relations continue to develop satisfactorily, given the circumstances. They also were pleased that a new protocol on cultural cooperation could be signed in December, which should help expand even further the range of interactions between the two countries.
The discussion then focused on topics of international news, with a particular focus on the situation in Syria in light of the truce agreement announced by the United States and Russia on Friday. Thanking Russia for its efforts in Switzerland this weekend, Jean Asselborn expressed the hope that these will lead to a durable ceasefire, allow humanitarian access to the civilian population and promote the resumption of the Geneva talks. He also praised the military cooperation between Russia and the United States under the announcement.
The Ministers then discussed the situation in Ukraine and the state of implementation of the Minsk agreements. Expressing conviction that the implementation of the Minsk agreements is key to the peace process, however, he conceded that progress remains unsatisfactory and that decisive steps are lacking.
Regarding relations between the EU and Russia, as well as cooperation within NATO and the OSCE, Minister Asselborn said that we must encourage the continuation of constructive dialogue in order to reach an even closer partnership with Russia, a key political and economic player. Similarly, he welcomed the renewed trust between Russia and Turkey, both of which are strategic partners with the EU, which will help reduce regional tensions.
Photo by MAEE
