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Lavrov meets Venezuelan minister, notes importance of right to self-determination

A major problem on the current agenda of the world community is to ensure that no one casts any doubt on the right of countries and peoples to decide about the path of development on their own, Russian Foreign Minister noted

MOSCOW, June 22. /TASS/. One of the major problems in global politics is the protection of the right of self-determination for any nation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday during talks with his visiting Venezuelan counterpart, Jorge Arreaza.

"A major problem on the current agenda of the world community is to ensure that no one casts any doubt on the right of countries and peoples to decide about the path of development on their own. We stand in full solidarity with our Venezuelan friends, with the Venezuelan people and leaders in the face of the problems your country is now facing because of attempts to interfere into your domestic affairs, because of attempts to freeze and contain your development. I am convinced that our talks today will help continue to develop cooperation in all spheres," he said.

Arreaza, in turn, thanked the Russian side for its assistance to his country when it "came under aggression and attempts to change the Venezuelan president and government by unconstitutional and illegal means". "Our relations have grown from strategic to brotherly. We have more than 200 agreements, and fifty more are in the process of discussion. We keep on expanding and developing our cooperation, and are successfully moving forward," he noted.

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