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Lavrov: Stoltenberg shouldn't have declared Russia-NATO Council meeting without discussion

According to the Russian foreign minister, Jens Stoltenberg should've discussed the possibility of holding a meeting of the council with Moscow first

© Valeriy Sharifulin/TASS

SOCHI, May 20. /TASS/. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg should have discussed the possibility of holding a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council first, and not declare it in advance on his own, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has told the media.

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"Why did he [Stoltenberg] say this [about the holding of the Russia-NATO Council before the alliance’s summit in Warsaw on July 8-9 - TASS]? The Russia-NATO Council operates on the basis of consensus," Lavrov said. "If they wish to discuss that, may they discuss it with us, and not get to the microphone right away."

Earlier, Stoltenberg said that NATO’s foreign ministers had made a decision to hold another meeting of the Russia-NATO council ahead of the alliance’s summit in Warsaw on July 8-9.

He said the alliance has reached "broad agreement" to seek another meeting with Russia before NATO leaders meet in Warsaw this July, adding that the date, details and modalities were yet to be agreed on.

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