MOSCOW, February 6. /TASS/. The Global South and East are increasing their influence worldwide, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a joint meeting of the State Duma’s (lower house of parliament) committees on international affairs, CIS affairs, Eurasian integration and relations with compatriots.
"When answering questions from lawmakers, the minister touched upon the key trends in the formation of a multipolar world and pointed to a rise in the influence of the Global South and East on world politics, emphasizing the importance of building mechanisms of multifaceted cooperation that would be able to oppose destructive moves by unfriendly countries," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement following the meeting.
According to the ministry, the meeting "outlined further steps to achieve foreign policy goals, and set priorities for joint efforts by the government and the legislature aimed at creating favorable and, most importantly, safe conditions for ensuring the country’s rapid development, strengthening its sovereignty and improving the people’s quality of life."
Lavrov welcomed "regular, meaningful and trust-based cooperation with lawmakers," which "makes it possible to exchange views on the entire range of issues regarding relations with other countries and international organizations in a real-time mode, and helps improve the Foreign Ministry's efficiency."
The meeting, which involved the leaders of parliament factions, was held as part of preparations for the February 19 session where the government will present a report on the key foreign policy issues to the State Duma.