MOSCOW, November 19. /TASS/: Russia advocates promotion of a unifying agenda within the Northern European multilateral formats amid the growing NATO activity near Russian borders, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in the wake of his talks with OSCE Chairwoman, Foreign Minister of Sweden Ann Linde.
Lavrov noted that, despite the growing tensions, the sides still retain fields of cooperation in the Baltic Region and in Northern Europe.
"We advocate using these formats that have been established in the north to promote the common agenda. I mean inter alia our presidency in the Arctic Council, where we have established a pragmatic and beneficial cooperation with Sweden and other member states," he noted.
The Arctic Council is an inter-governmental organization of Arctic states. Its members are Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the US. Besides, the Council provides observer status to non-Arctic states or non-governmental organizations. In 2021, the two-year presidency passed from Iceland to Russia.
5+3+1 format of dialogue
Sergey Lavrov also pointed out that Moscow suggested the format of dialogue involving five Northern European countries, three Baltic republics and Russia (5+3+1) be resumed to discuss problems of stability and security in the Baltic region.
"We have repeatedly called on our Swedish colleagues to take measures to promote the establishment of dialogue on regional stability and security in the Baltic region. Our initiative to revive the format that was used at some stage, i.e. five Northern European nations, three Baltic countries and Russia," he noted.
In his video address to the 16th General Conference of the Union of the Baltic Cities in October, Lavrov noted that in the period from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, Russia would coordinate the activities of two Baltic cooperation structures, namely the Council of the Baltic Sea States and the group of personal representatives of the heads of state on combating organized crime. He expressed the hope that "Baltic cooperation will maintain the momentum and will further develop as a major factor of preserving the regional zone of trust, stability and good-neighborly relations".
