Russian FM says focus of global economy shifting from Euro-Atlantic to Eurasia

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The Russian foreign minister on Friday said the focus of the global economy continues to shift from the Euro-Atlantic region to Eurasia, and "politics is following suit."

In an article for Russia's Razvedchik news magazine, Sergey Lavrov said Moscow also gives priority to the development of ties with Eurasian countries as it no longer has any illusions about "being accepted" in Europe, or creating a “common space” with the EU.

Moscow continues analyzing prospects of participation in international organizations, the managing bodies of which are under Western control, he said.

He particularly mentioned the Organization for the Security and Organization in Europe (OSCE), which, according to him, was created as a platform to conduct an honest European dialogue, but turned into a "fringe agency where the West is accumulating filth and lies."

"It is obvious that the OSCE can no longer deal with serious issues of European security. The West continues its efforts to eliminate the remaining capabilities of the OSCE, in particular, by initiating an exclusive “European political community” that is closed to Russia and Belarus," he stressed.

Lavrov said Russia's relations with the US and EU are "at the lowest point" since the end of the Cold War.

The confrontation with the West affects the work of the Russian diplomatic missions, which perform their duties in "extreme conditions," he said.

"We have drawn the necessary conclusions from this. There will be no 'business as usual' again. We will not knock on the closed door, let alone make unilateral concessions. If the West comes to its senses and offers a resumption of contacts, we will see what exactly they offer and will act based on Russia’s interests. Any hypothetical agreements with the West must be legally binding and must include a streamlined mechanism of their verification," Lavrov said.