MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has called on the world community to pool efforts to end colonial dependence in 17 territories across the globe.
"In out joint efforts, we call for elaborating common approaches of the global majority to the understanding of neocolonialism and to complete de-colonization efforts, which were begun by Soviet diplomacy, as even today 17 territories are still in colonial dependence and their parent countries are in no hurry to liberate, despite the relevant United Nations resolutions," he said at a plenary session of the Forum of Supporters for the Fight against Modern Neo-Colonialist Practices.
He also called on responsible members of the world community to defend justice in global affairs. "As you know, the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations has been set up for these purposes. We call on the participants in the forum to support its activity," he said.
Moscow is hosting the first Forum of Supporters for the Fight against Modern Neo-Colonialist Practices, which was organized by Russia’s ruling United Russia party. The forum is being attended by around 400 delegates representing leading political forces from African, Asian, CIS, Middle East, Latin American, and European countries, who will discuss ways to counter interference into sovereign affairs of states, destructive neocolonial practices, as well as issues of independence in political, financial, economic, information and other spheres.