VIENNA, January 13. /TASS/. Any attempts to put negotiations on security guarantees between Russia and the United States and NATO are fraught with a worsening of the security situation for all states, Russia’s permanent representative to the OSCE, Alexander Lukashevich, said at this year’s first meeting of the organization’s Permanent Council.
"We would like to caution openly and honestly that any attempts to put the process of meaningful negotiations on security guarantees between Russia, the United States and NATO on the back burner or emasculate it to a condition of senseless exchange of opinions that would go round in circles will be fraught with an inevitable worsening of the security situation for all countries without an exception," Lukashevich said.
He warned that Russia would take measures, if its proposals remained unanswered.
"If we hear no constructive reply to the proposals that have been made within sensible deadlines, and if aggressive behavior towards Russia continues, we will have to derive the corresponding conclusions and to take all necessary measures for ensuring a strategic balance and eliminating unacceptable threats to our security," Lukashevich said.
He pointed out that the guarantees Russia was talking about were crucial to all countries.
"Russia is a peace-loving country. But we do not need peace at any cost. The need for obtaining legally formalized security guarantees is unconditional for us. As for the choice of the corresponding instruments, it largely depends on all of us, because the guarantees that we are talking about are equally necessary for all," Lukashevich said.
This year’s first meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council under Poland’s chairmanship is being held in Vienna on Thursday. Poland took over the OSCE chairmanship from Sweden on January 1, 2022.