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The decisions adopted at the G7 summit in Hiroshima pursue the goal of dual containment of Russia and China, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at the 31st Assembly of the Council for Foreign and Defense Policy on Saturday.
"Could you take a look at those decisions which are being debated and adopted at the G7 summit in Hiroshima and which are aimed at dual containment of Russia and the People’s Republic of China?" he said.
Lavrov pointed out that the Western track has "completely outlived itself" in the form it had been developing in the Russian foreign policy until recently, as Russia embarked on the path "of most dramatic confrontation with the aggressive bloc comprising the Unites States, the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance."
"The objective was announced loudly and frankly, which is to defeat Russia on the battlefield, and without stopping at this, to eliminate it later as a geopolitical rival, so to speak, along with any other country that claims an independent place in the world, they will be suppressed as opponents," the minister added.
The top diplomat also pointed out that the Western countries’ expert community is overtly discussing the order to work out scenarios aimed at Russia’s breakup, and "they do not conceal that the existence of Russia as an independent center is incompatible with the goal of the West’s global domination."
Beijing Expresses Strong Protest Over China-Related Topics in G7 Summit Statement
The Chinese Foreign Ministry voiced a strong protest on Saturday over the statements related to Beijing made by Group of Seven leaders at the summit in Japan.
Earlier on Saturday, G7 leaders issued a final communique at a summit in Hiroshima, which mentioned China, among other matters. In particular, they expressed their concerns about Taiwan, the South China Sea, China's "non-market policies and practices" and the human rights situation.
"Regardless of China's serious concerns, the Group of Seven insists on manipulating China-related issues, smearing and attacking China, and violently interfering in China's internal affairs. China has expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this, and has made serious representations to the summit organizer, Japan, and other relevant parties," the ministry said.
Beijing also pointed to the mismatch between the G7's statements on peace and stability and its actions, which it said were "hindering international peace, damaging regional stability and suppressing the development of other countries."
"The G7 keeps claiming to maintain peace across the Taiwan Strait, but never mentions its opposition to 'Taiwan independence.' No one should underestimate the strong determination, firm will and strong ability of the Chinese people to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity," the ministry stressed.
The ministry also argued that the era "when a few developed countries in the West wantonly interfered in the internal affairs of other countries and manipulated global affairs" was gone forever and urged the G7 to "focus on solving their own problems, stop forming closed and exclusive 'cohorts,' stop containing and oppressing other countries, stop creating and provoking confrontation between camps, and return to dialogue and cooperation."
Nobody in the Muslim world supports sanctions on Russia – Russian deputy PM
Islamic countries do not support the West’s sanctions on Russia, and the agreements signed at this week’s Kazan economic forum prove this, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin told RT on Saturday.
Bringing together delegations from Russia and the countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the ‘Russia-Islamic World’ forum in the city of Kazan resulted in hundreds of meetings and more than 100 trade agreements being signed, Khusnullin said.
“The forum has become a place where political and economic interests have gathered, because the countries of the Muslim world support us,” he stated. “None of the countries of the Muslim world support sanctions against us.”
While a handful of Arab nations – most notably Saudi Arabia and Egypt – formally condemned Russia over its military operation in Ukraine, no Islamic nation has followed the West’s lead and imposed economic sanctions on Moscow.
Trade between the Islamic world and Russia has continued largely unimpeded, and Khusnullin revealed that more deals are in the works, including bilateral agreements on agricultural products and Halal food, crude oil processing, and banking.
Increased trade will be facilitated by the construction of the International North South Transport Corridor, a 7,200-kilometer span of ship, rail, and road routes for moving cargo between India, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia, and Europe. Moving freight from Russia to India is quicker and cheaper than via the traditional Suez Canal route, while eliminating the risk posed by EU sanctions.
“A lot of ground has been covered here,” Khusnullin said. “People have exchanged connections, questions, and contacts, and this will give more and more momentum for the future.”
This year’s Kazan forum took place at a time of upheaval in the Islamic world. Aside from the broad refusal to join the West’s sanctions regime, the oil-producing Gulf states have refused to increase production at the US’ request, Saudi Arabia and Iran have resumed diplomatic relations after Chinese-brokered talks, and Syria has been welcomed back into the Arab League amid protests from the West.
Russia and Islamic nations share a common geopolitical vision, Syrian Ambassador to Russia Bashar Jaafari told RT on Friday. “The world needs to quickly move from the unipolar system to a multipolar system,” Jaafari said, calling on Moscow and its Islamic partners to sign a “political declaration” in the near future.
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