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Russian foreign minister discusses humanitarian situation in Syria, Ukraine with ICRC head

The officials met on the sidelines of the 37th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva

MOSCOW, February 28. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has held talks with President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer, discussing the humanitarian situation in southeastern Ukraine and Syria, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday after their meeting on the sidelines of the 37th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

"During the meeting, Sergei Lavrov and Peter Maurer discussed the committee’s activities in the Russian Federation as well as cooperation between Russia and the ICRC in joint response to humanitarian crises across the world," the ministry said. They "paid particular attention to the situation in southeastern Ukraine and the situation in Syria, in particular the issues of providing humanitarian assistance to the civilian population."

Besides, the ministry pointed out that Lavrov and Maurer "signed a memorandum of cooperation between the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation and the International Committee of the Red Cross to mark the 150th anniversary of the St. Petersburg declaration of 1868 banning explosive projectiles in time of war.".

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