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THE UNITED NATIONS — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov addressed Friday the General Assembly in front of President Trump, with quotes from former President Harry Truman. Lavrov did not mention Mr. Trump, but the attack was the deadliest of all time.
In a speech he made to the General Assembly and later at a press conference, Lavrov reiterated Russia's claim that the allegations of electoral interference were "baseless".
"We observe the offensive of belligerent revisionism against the modern system of international law," he said. Lavrov cited the violations of the Middle East American agreements, the Iranian Nuclear Agreement, also known as the Joint Global Action Plan (JCPOA), the framework of the World Organization Trade Agreement (WTO) and the Climate Agreement.
Western countries, Lavrov said, are substituting a "rule-based order" for the "rule of law" and he has attacked the "selfish and selfish ambitions of a small group of countries".
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov addressed the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at the United States Headquarters in New York on September 28, 2018.
EDUARDO MUNOZ / REUTERS
At the press conference with reporters after his speech at the General Assembly, Lavrov said that US-Russian relations "are bad and probably at a low ebb".
On the Middle East peace process, he warned "against unilateral approaches and attempts to monopolize this settlement process".
He issued a warning to NATO and to Eastern Europe: "We are concerned about the desire to open a new confrontational line in Europe, this time in the Balkans The states of the region are being attracted to NATO.
Lavrov then listed what he described as misguided misguided policy in the United States in Iran, Syria and Venezuela. With regard to Syria, he confirmed that Russia had started to put into service the air defense systems known as Advanced S-300.
He accused the United States of "political blackmail, economic pressure and brutal force".
Sometimes, however, the tone has changed.
Lavrov called for cooperation between the United States and Russia on cybersecurity and negotiations in the Middle East, Iran and the final phase in Syria.
Richard V. Gowan, senior researcher at the University of the United States, said that Lavrov's speech was twofold. "He continues to criticize Trump but is looking for opportunities," said Gowan.
"Moscow is realizing that they have exceeded the past two years and that they would like to have a more cooperative tone," said Gowan, wishing the West to help rebuild Syria and wishes the lifting of sanctions against Russia.
Lavrov said that Russia would continue to facilitate negotiations through the American Quartet, a quartet of the United States, Russia, the United States and the European Union, a group that has been stuck for years.
Lavrov urged the United States to "cooperate" on cybersecurity, saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lavrov had "doubled" in recent months in their denial of electoral interference, particularly to the US authorities. . the accusations.
Lavrov even lamented that it is no longer a question of the good old days when the United States and Russia found a common ground, at least in certain regions.
"He seemed to be giving up a white flag," a diplomat from eastern Europe told CBS News, preferring to remain anonymous.
"Not at all," Leon Aron, Resident Researcher and Director of Russian Studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) told CBS News.
"It's been a standard, almost ritual narrative on both sides, and a good thing too."
"Both nuclear superpowers feel the need to preserve at least a semblance of dialogue," said Aron.
According to Gowan, especially with regard to cybersecurity, the cooperation proposal will not work because the United States and its allies have always been suspicious and fear that Moscow will not respect cooperation.
The Russians have reaffirmed to the UN on Syria, said Gowan.
After being repulsed by US ambassador Nikki Haley, Russia cleverly managed to block the publication of elements of a very damaging report on sanctions against North Korea, a proof of the violation of sanctions by Russia.
With regard to cybersecurity, with a new US counter-terrorism division that includes cybersecurity run by a Russian national, Russia seeks to assert that there should be a new set of rules for United States.
"In the last two years, the debate on cyber abuse has been exacerbated," Lavrov said.
"In the context of recent developments, it becomes even more relevant to develop under the auspices of the United Kingdom a set of comprehensive standards for responsible state behavior in the information space. "
Lavrov closed his American speech with Truman's quote: "Great nations led by the power of example rather than domination."
