On November 17, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov met in Moscow with the ambassadors of Central Asian nations (Kazakhstani, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) to Russia.
The Russian Foreign Ministry’s website says the parties evaluated Russia’s bilateral interaction with each Central Asian nation, as well as within the framework of common international associations, including the CIS, the EAEU, the CSTO and the SCO.
The sides were reportedly satisfied with the stable trade and economic relations, expanding trade volumes, and close science and education, cultural and humanitarian ties. They emphasized their mutual commitment to creating favorable conditions for the sustainable development of our strategic partnership across the board, including security and regional stability, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website.
On a separate note, the parities reviewed cooperation in the Central Asia5 + Russia format and the implementation of the results of this mechanism’s first summit, held in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, on October 14, 2022. They devoted considerable attention to the development of research and practical cooperation in water management, including efforts to address the environmental problem in the Aral Sea region.
The Tajik Foreign Ministry’s Information Department reported that same on November 18.
Recall, top Russian diplomat said in an interview broadcast on November 12 that the European Union has attempted to drive Russia out of Central Asia and noted that the bloc was failing.
“The European Union isn’t hiding its intentions to restrain [Russia] in every possible way and push it out of Central Asia and the South Caucasus,” Lavrov said in Pavel Zarubin’s program “Moskva, Kreml, Putin” (Moscow, Kremlin, Putin).
“These attempts are futile. We have been historically present there and are not going to disappear,” top Russian diplomat said noting that “Russia has been historically present in this region and is not going to disappear anywhere.”
