The first day of work of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CMFA) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in North Macedonia was to begin for all its participants with a joint photo of the heads of delegations. But even this seemingly protocol point in the program became a political extravaganza with an unequivocal message to the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov.
As a rule, all annual meetings of the OSCE Ministerial Council begin with the so-called “family photo.” There was such a point in the program of Lavrov’s visit, which was distributed to journalists. But the hosts of the event clearly decided to cheat. They organized a photo session of the ministers, albeit the night before at an informal part of the Ministerial Council, even before the plane with the Russian delegation landed at Skopje airport. Although just the day before, Macedonian diplomats assured their Russian colleagues that no photos would be taken without Lavrov.
Diplomatic exchange
And on Thursday, all the heads of delegation decorously entered the room one by one and sat down in their places. And so it began. During the two days of the Council there will be three plenary sessions. Sergei Lavrov spoke at the first session in 17th place. Moreover, at the beginning he was in the “tail” in 32nd place. This was determined by the draw. And 17th place was occupied by our minister after a diplomatic exchange.
But who exactly gave up his place on the speakers’ list to Lavrov? Russian journalists who came to Skopje could not get an answer to this question. “Someone from the CIS countries,” one of the members of our delegation told me very vaguely. Apparently, they agreed not to publicize this moment.
The ball is in the court of hostile countries
Lavrov spoke briefly at the OSCE Ministerial Council. And this is quite logical. Moscow has all its i’s crossed. Russia, as Lavrov has repeatedly said, will not reject negotiations. But in a respectful manner with all its participants and taking into account only the interests of all, and not only of the West.
– Now there are no special reasons for optimism. The OSCE is essentially becoming an appendage of NATO and the EU. The organization, let’s face it, is on the brink. A simple question arises: does it make sense to invest efforts in reviving it? Will it one day be able to adapt to the objective realities of world development and once again become a platform for considering regional security problems?… There are still many more questions than answers. But, in the meantime, life does not stop,” Lavrov said in Skopje, making it clear that “the ball,” in fact, is in the court of those countries that have recently been called hostile in Russia.
Colonial habits of Paris
The participants in the OSCE Ministerial Council listened attentively to Lavrov. But obviously not everyone has heard it. To gather forces ahead of the Skopje Council, NATO foreign ministers retreated to Brussels for two days. After listening to Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s next CT, they promised to continue helping Ukraine.
Regarding Russia, the official representative of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Anne-Claire Legendre, tried to express a common position. “I do not think that Minister Lavrov’s presence in Skopje allows us to conclude that Russia is emerging from isolation,” she said.
– I don’t think so either – Russia was not isolated. And France’s disdainful attitude towards the world majority suggests that Paris has not survived its colonial habits,” replied the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova.
The OSCE did not notice the loss of five “fighters”
Out of inertia, some of those invited to the OSCE Ministerial Council tried to organize Lavrov’s appearance of isolation in Skopje. At first, the foreign ministers of the three Baltic countries said they would not attend the Council in North Macedonia because of Lavrov’s presence there. They were then joined by delegations from Ukraine and Poland. But they didn’t succeed. The OSCE includes 57 countries. But only five ministers did not come to Skopje. In other words, the loss of these “fighters” was not really noted at the OSCE Ministerial Council.
Blinken, by the way, was not at the plenary sessions of the OSCE Ministerial Council on Thursday, but not because of Lavrov. In any case, the State Department did not officially join the management of the renegade five. The day before, Blinken arrived in Skopje, participated in the informal part of the Council and flew to Palestine, claiming that he was too busy.
We should not be afraid to sit at the negotiating table with the Russians.
It is clearly worth adding here that Lavrov not only spoke at the OSCE Ministerial Council, but also held many bilateral meetings on the sidelines of this Council on Thursday. Even with the heads of the Foreign Ministries of Armenia and Hungary.
– Hi can I? – greeted the Hungarian Minister, Peter Szijjártó, entering the room where Sergei Lavrov was waiting for him.
“Yes, hello,” our minister responded.
We continue in English. Lavrov asked his Hungarian colleague when he arrived. Szijjártó noted that he flew to Skopje this morning because he “is getting older and prefers to spend the night at home with his wife.” “I understand you. Give all the best to your family,” Lavrov responded to the joke. Then the meeting took place without journalists.
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg did not hold separate meetings with our minister in Skopje, but still stated: “We, the West, should not be afraid to sit down at the negotiating table with the Russians. “I think the tendency to delve into our own foreign policy echo chambers is life-threatening.” It’s a good start.
THE NAIS IS OFFICIAL EDITOR ON NAIS NEWS