MOSCOW, July 1. /TASS/. Russia supports efforts to strengthen the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) while preserving its founding principles of impartiality and independence, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said as he opened talks in Moscow with ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric.

"Of course, we want to strengthen the International Committee on the basis of the principles that have guided its work since its founding, above all independence and impartiality," the foreign minister said. "We value the committee's leadership for consistently striving to uphold these principles over many decades."

"Our regular contacts, and not only through the Foreign Ministry, <...> help us build clearer cooperation with an organization that we respect and want to strengthen," Lavrov said.