Lavrov calls for 'network diplomacy'

Moscow, Dec 28 (UNI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called for ''network diplomacy'' to enable participation of nations in world multilateral forums.

''This network diplomacy is needed as never before, providing flexible forms of participation in multilateral bodies,'' Mr Lavrov said in an interview to Russian daily Izvestia today.

''Not unwieldy unions with fixed commitments, but goal-oriented alliances by interests with changing geometry are increasingly meeting the demands of time,'' he observed.

Stressing on the importance of relations between Russia, EU countries and the US for maintaining global security and stability, he said, ''such a triangular configuration reflects the current order of things, the distance traversed by politics in its evolution through this space since the "Cold War.'' Maintaining Russia's stance, he said,''Of principled significance to Russia is the launching of practical interaction in space from Vancouver to Vladivostok. The development in this region is of constructive and open relations which looks toward the future and which no longer has anything to do with the previous ideological split between Europe and the whole world.'' He said such a cooperation would ''provide a material guarantee'' to those who fear that Russia may wish to "drive a wedge" in the relations between the United States and Western Europe.

''Conceivably, the geopolitical triangle whose points are Russia, the European Union and the United States may become in the future, one of the supports of the shaping collective leadership by the world's top states and make a considerable contribution to the restoration of the manageability of global development, in accordance with other centers of force,'' the Foreign Minister said.

He expressed confidence that ''the demand for sole leadership is falling in the condition of increasing globalisation and allies' commitments of old are depreciating.

''As for China, the triangle's aiming against Chinese interests is out of the question as Russia-China-India cooperation or the dialogue in the BRIC format (Brazil, Russia, India and China) are not against the US, the EU or anyone,'' he said.

"This brings us back to the idea of network diplomacy, in whose scope a place can always be found for any diplomatic combination, based on positive coinciding interests of the parties," Mr Lavrov added.

He said Russia, the US and the European Union were interested in boosting cooperation with China, while China, on its part, attached significance to the development of relations with Moscow, Washington and Brussels.

''Thanks to such mutual interests, the fabric of relations between them is firming, which contributes to the strengthening of regional and global security," he added.

UNI XC PB PM1553