Diplomacy

Sergei Lavrov dismissed suggestions that Nagorno-Karabakh be annexed to Russia and said that the status issue needs to be resolved between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Lavrov indicated that there will be a role for the OSCE Minsk Group in resolving the status problem. Lavrov was speaking at the annual marathon new year press conference where he reviewed the work of his ministry in 2020.

A statement posted on the EEAS website said that Josep Borrell reaffirmed the commitment of the EU to strengthen political association and economic integration with the Republic of Moldova by working in close partnership, on the basis of the ambitious Association Agreement.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Thursday (14 January) met in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Whilst the two sides emphasised positive trends in their bilateral relations, it was also obvious that there were important differences, not least on Iran.

“By holding each other accountable, we make sure that our commitments remain relevant. By honouring our commitments, we make sure that our region is safe. This is where the unique value of our organisation lies”, the Chairperson-in-Office emphasised.

The US is planning to open a consulate in Western Sahara. The consulate will be located in Dakhla, a fishing port located in southern Western Sahara, intended to become a “regional maritime hub” serving Africa and the Canary Islands through a large development project launched by Rabat. Last Saturday, the assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs, David Schenker, visited Western Sahara. He is considered to be the highest-ranking US diplomat for North Africa and the Middle East. 

The newspaper Izvestya asked Russian experts on the Caucasus to comment, and it says that they believe that the threat of resumed hostilities has not completely vanished, "since radical elements on both sides and the position of Turkey can play a destructive role".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on the European Union to help the Eastern Partnership countries with the sourcing of COVID-19 vaccines.

A fact-finding IGAD team arrived in Gedo, Somalia to hold talks with the government in a bid to end the tensions between Kenya and Somalia. The dispute has now been eased but IGAD is putting pressure on both sides to restore ties. Somalia had in late 2020, cut relations with Kenya over accusations of meddling in local politics for "far too long".