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Senior Russian diplomat confirms meeting with US special envoy for Venezuela on March 19

This is a scheduled contact, this is not a spontaneous meeting

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov Sergey Fadeichev/TASS

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov

© Sergey Fadeichev/TASS

MOSCOW, March 17. /TASS/. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told TASS on Sunday he is due to hold a meeting with US Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams on March 19 in Rome.

"The talks will take place on March 19. This is a scheduled contact, this is not a spontaneous meeting," the high-ranking diplomat said.

"We will warn the United States against military intervention and other forms of illegal influence against the legitimate authorities in Caracas," Ryabkov said. "We will certainly explain why it is necessary to make efforts for launching inter-Venezuelan dialogue."

Earlier, the US State Department announced that Abrams would meet with Ryabkov to "discuss the deteriorating situation in Venezuela."

On March 2 at Washington’s initiative the top Russian and US diplomats held a phone conversation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that Moscow was ready for talks with the US on Venezuela, but only provided that the UN Charter’s provisions were observed.

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