Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has asked in a written message to the foreign ministers, secretaries of state and foreign affairs officials of the United States, Canada and several European countries to clarify their definition of the principle of ‘equal and indivisible security’, according to a Russian ministry document of 1 February.
On 15 December 2021, Russia submitted two documents on security guarantees to NATO and the United States. “The responses of the United States and NATO to our proposals received on 26 January 2022 demonstrate serious differences in the understanding of the principle of equal and indivisible security, which is fundamental to the whole European security architecture”, Lavrov said, adding that it was therefore “necessary to clarify this issue immediately, as it will determine the prospects for future dialogue” (see EUROPE 12878/1).
“The essence of the agreements on indivisible security is that either there is security for all or there is security for none”, the Russian diplomatic chief warned, adding that this did not only concern NATO members, and implied Russia as well. According to Mr Lavrov, the West is missing part of this principle.
Turning to ‘indivisible security’, he said it followed from the OSCE Charter signed in 1999 in Istanbul and reaffirmed in 2010 in Astana, that military alliances should abandon their original function of deterrence and become part of the pan-European architecture based on collective approaches, rather than narrow groups.
“We want a clear answer to the question of how our partners understand their obligation not to strengthen their own security at the expense of the security of other states based on the commitment to the principle of indivisible security”, he added.
The Minister hoped for a “clear” and “rapid” response from the countries to which he wrote - individually - as the commitments were made by each State “individually, not as part of any bloc or on its behalf”.
See the letter: https://aeur.eu/f/51
See the 1999 OSCE Charter: https://bit.ly/3gkrtdi
US ready to make Ukraine a neutral zone
According to documents published on 2 February by El Pais, which are said to be the responses of the United States and NATO to Russia’s proposals, Washington would be willing to discuss an agreement whereby it would commit to not deploying missiles or combat forces in Ukraine if Russia did the same.
On the other hand, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister explained on the same day that the Russian forces on the Ukrainian border, if they put pressure on his country, were insufficient to carry out a large-scale attack. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)