Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was asked “a philosophical question” on justice as the solution to the world’s crises today, when interviewed Dec. 24 on NTV’s Itogi Nedeli program. The Global South is watching us; what kind of justice can we offer them? the interviewer asked.
Lavrov was succinct: “I think that any normal person, including politicians, immediately understands what injustice is when they see it. It is clear to them when issues are resolved fairly, based on a balance of interests and the key principle of the UN Charter, which emphasizes the need to respect the sovereign equality of all states, big and small.”
Lavrov assured the interviewer that the Arab world, for example, “is not just watching us closely; they are also closely cooperating with us.” He cited the discussions in the Dec. 19-20 meeting of the Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum in Morocco as well as of his bilateral talks with Tunisian officials, which confirmed the “strong desire for active cooperation.”
Cooperation not just on economic development, but “on fundamental matters concerning the future world order,” Lavrov elaborated.
“In this context, justice means equal rights for all states and entities established in different regions. This includes the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the African Union, CELAC, as well as numerous sub regional institutions in Africa and Latin America. In Eurasia, we have the EAEU, the SCO and ASEAN. These organizations have established close contacts, including through the Belt and Road project.
“Integration processes are a natural part of life. Unlike certain plans proposed by Western countries, we do not intend to construct artificial schemes. Instead, we seek to allow these objective tendencies to interact with each other, as there are many overlapping areas where integration naturally develops. Through fair division of labor and mutual benefit for all participants, we will gradually move towards a multipolar world.”
