General ‘reset’ needed in int’l relations with all nations reiterating commitment to UN Charter - Lavrov

MOSCOW, January 26. /TASS/. A general "reset" in needed in international relations and all the global nations are to reiterate their commitment to the United Nations Charter whereas the question of a "reset" in relations with the United States should be addressed to Washington, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday. "It is important to comply with certain general rules to ensure a general ‘reset.’ It is important that all reiterate their commitment to the United Nations Charter," Lavrov said at a news conference on the results of 2015 commenting on Russia’s relations with the United States. "The question [about ‘reset’ in relations with the United States] is not to us. Under President George Bush Jr., regardless of the marvelous personal relations, our inter-state relations dropped very low," he noted. "When President Barack Obama took office, they offered a ‘reset,’ which means they came to understand the abnormality of relations." But soon, in his words, all positive changes began to reduce to zero. "Now they are saying: let us fulfill the Minsk-2 package and everything will get back to normal immediately, we will cancel sanctions and promising perspectives of cooperation will open," the Russian minister said. "We are open for cooperation with all on an equal and mutually beneficial basis." "We don’t want anyone to build the policy in a way that it is Russia but not Ukraine must fulfil Minsk-2," he said. "Contacts with Victoria Nuland [U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs] have demonstrated that the United States is well-versed in the essence of Minsk-2." "The fact that the sanctions are extended is perceived as the West’s consent to the non-fulfilment of the agreements by Kiev", he said. "But a chill in relations with the Obama administration and a pause in the ‘reset’ began well before Ukraine," Lavrov noted. "When we joined the World Trade Organization (WTO), the United States understood that it could take advantage of the Jackson-Vanik amendment no longer. But the United States would not be what it is if it would have simply cancelled it. Instead, they have invented the Magnitsky Act. The lid on that matter has not yet been put and I hope the truth will surface sooner or later. Later, there was a reaction to the situation over [NSA leaker Edward] Snowden." "We never assume a look of injured pride. We have no such traditions in relations with states," the Russian top diplomat said. "We understand that life is tougher than any patterns or schemes, such as ‘reset.’ We understand that the United States is interested in having less rivals." The minister reminded that when Moscow and Washington were establishing diplomatic relations at the initiative of the United States they had exchanged written guarantees of non-interference into domestic affairs of each other. "Recently, we invited the Americans to reiterate these principles but they dodged an answer. Such a ‘reset’ could be useful," he stressed. Read more