GENEVA, February 26. /TASS/. The situation in Venezuela is becoming a key factor for the future of international relations, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin has told TASS in an interview.
Vershinin, the chief Russian delegate at the 40th session of the UN Human Rights Council, said that at his scheduled meeting with his Venezuelan counterpart Jorge Arreaza he would discuss the most crucial aspects of the situation in that country.
"Before the meeting it is hard to say what will be discussed in detail. At the same time it is clear that the discussion will focus on the most crucial and important events inside and around that country in recent days," Vershinin said.
"Russia’s position on that score has been expressed in public more than once and we reaffirmed it in our bilateral contacts. We are absolutely against imposing any possible solutions from the position of strength on Venezuela," Vershinin said. "Our stance is that of respect for the principles of the UN Charter, which envisages, naturally, non-intervention in the sovereign affairs of any country, including Venezuela." Russia is for giving the Venezuelans a chance "to achieve the solution of all issues and problems they encounter by peaceful means through a dialogue."
"As for the completely shameless tactic of threats and outspoken pressure on Venezuela’s legitimate authorities the United States resorted to in recent days, we regard them as an utterly impermissible and dangerous phenomenon in the modern world from the standpoint of soaring tensions in this region specifically and from the standpoint of what kind of international relations all of us - the international community - would like to see today and in the future," Vershinin said.
On March 23, the leader of the Venezuelan opposition Juan Guaido, whose appointment as parliamentary speaker had been annulled by the Supreme Court two days before that proclaimed himself as acting president. The United States hurried to recognize him in this capacity. The Lima Group of countries (except Mexico), the Organization of American States and a number of European countries followed suit. Venezuela’s legitimate president, Nicolas Maduro, described the events as a government coup attempt and severed diplomatic relations with the United States. Russia, Belarus, Bolivia, Iran, China, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Syria and Turkey came out in his support.