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Macron’s statement about Burkina Faso shows France meddles in other countries — Lavrov

The Russian foreign minister stressed that Russia did not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, but Moscow had no obstacles to developing cooperation with everyone who showed mutual interest

MBABANE /Kingdom of Eswatini/, January 24. /TASS/. French President Emmanuel Macron’s statement about Russia's alleged involvement in the situation in Burkina Faso indicates that Paris interferes in the internal affairs of other states, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday at a press conference following talks with Eswatini’s Foreign Minister Thuli Dladla.

"This is a question about the principles of foreign policy. We do not interfere in the internal affairs [of other countries], while President Macron's statement clearly indicates that France regards such interference as possible and resorts to it," Lavrov said, while commenting on the French leader’s allegations that Russia was behind Burkina Faso’s decision to discontinue French military presence in the country.

"Whenever sovereign states on the African continent are disappointed to some extent with their relations with France and would like to find other partners for addressing their urgent problems, including those in the field of security, there follows a reaction similar to the one you mentioned in connection with Mr. Macron’s statements," Lavrov said, while answering questions.

"We are accused of undermining French interests in the Central African Republic, in Mali, and now in Burkina Faso. This is a manifestation of the same philosophy and the same mentality that the European Union applies to any part of the globe. In particular, the same attitude was proclaimed in relation to Ukraine back in the early 2000s, when the European Union said outright: Ukraine must choose, either it is with Europe or with Russia. The same perverse logic applies to the African continent."

Lavrov stressed that Russia did not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, but Moscow had no obstacles to developing cooperation with everyone who showed mutual interest.

At the same time, he drew attention to the fact that several large French private military companies (PMCs) operated in the Eurasian space.

"This is considered just business as usual," he said.

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