Poland’s Refusal of Lavrov’s Participation in Coming OSCE Council Violates Rules: Moscow
OSCE Logo
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Poland’s decision to deny Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov participation in the upcoming Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) violates the organization’s rules, the Russian foreign ministry said on Saturday.”It [Warsaw’s decision] is incompatible with the status of the chairman of an organization in which 57 countries participate as sovereign and independent states in full equality. The OSCE Rules of Procedure and the legislative mandates were violated, in particular the decision of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Porto [2002] on the principles of the work of the Chairmanship-in-Office,” the ministry said in a statement.The ministry emphasized that the decision of Poland, who is the current OSCE chairman-in-office, to refuse Lavrov’s participation in the council is unprecedented and provocative. The Russian delegation at the event will be headed by the Permanent Representative to the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich, the ministry specified.In addition, Moscow has already sent a request to all OSCE member states to evaluate Poland’s actions.The 29th Ministerial Council of the OSCE will take place in the Polish city of Lodz from December 1-2.
