Washington briefing: Russia touts self-determination in “mini-empires”

by Emil Sanamyan and Lusine Sarkisyan

Published: Tuesday October 07, 2008

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of Russia. Wikimedia

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of Russia. Wikimedia Washington -

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of Russia, who was in New York last week for the United Nations General Assembly, offered Russia's views on relations with the United States and international developments in light of the war in Georgia in an extensive presentation to the Council on Foreign Relations on September 24.

Mr. Lavrov spoke at length on nations' right to self-determination, which the Russian minister recalled has long been the "mantra" of U.S. foreign policy and was described as "one of the noblest ideas in our world" by Vice President Dick Cheney during his visit to Italy on September 6.

Mr. Lavrov argued that in addition to major empires, "there exist mini-empires and the same attitude ought to apply to them. If we are to be guided by principle rather than bias and political conjecture, the size should not make difference."

He went on: "The relevant issues are those of oppression, of threat of genocide, of central authorities' inability or unwillingness to bring the minority into the fold peacefully by way of persuasion, creating a climate of confidence and trust, providing a decent and caring government for all citizens."

Speaking of his country's actions in support of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Mr. Lavrov suggested that "Russia is now an advocate of such principles of America as live and let live, give and take, helping the underdog!" Minister Lavrov's remarks in full can be found at http://www.cfr.org.