Lavrov: Unipolar world order is gone, transition will hurt

Lavrov: Unipolar world order is gone, transition will hurt

“Old habits die hard. Parting with one’s sense of global dominion is not easy and this process is going to be long and painful, but I’m sure that in the long haul we’ll agree on the need to redistribute our responsibilities from conflict resolution to economics to finance and trade,” Lavrov said.

He "underscored the need to end the longtime practice of using one country’s laws on the territory of another," adding, "all this should be done strictly in line with the UN Charter and without undermining the authority of the UN Security Council."

“We are against any quick fixes here. All these problems should be tackled having fully in mind the hard fact that global politics, economics and finances are no longer directed by a single center, that there are new powerful centers of economic and financial growth now emerging in Asia and Latin America adding political clout to these new economic powerhouses,” the Russian minister said, according to Sputnik.

Russia "wants to enshrine the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states in an international declaration - 'a fundamental principle of the UN Charter which, unfortunately, is often violated'," and also calls a redistribution of votes and quotas, including in the International Monetary Fund, something “we all agreed about ten years ago."

Lavrov warned against the principle of the so-called “legal extraterritoriality” when unilateral sanctions are imposed in circumvention of the UN Security Council and are aimed at undermining a country’s economic and social stability.

“Economic ties, trade, technological exchanges all this holds the key to development while one-sided sanctions thwart the countries’ pursuit of a better life,” Lavrov said.

"Bearing in mind that attempts at arbitrary interpretation of the principle of non-interference are regularly cropping up, including in the context of Syria, we wish to consider with all members the possibility of adopting a declaration," the Russian official stated, and added:

"We are categorically opposed to all attempts of destabilization of regimes... some of our partners on the world scene are tempted to, when they dislike a regime, start destabilizing it from within, and then refer to the unrest there, and that something should to be done," Lavrov said, according to Interfax.

The Russian foreign minister added such an initiative has a chance to succeed - "and, it goes without saying, there is the opposition of those who think they have a right not to respect their obligations under the UN Charter."