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OSCE Ministerial Council meeting opens in Malta

The Russian delegation is represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov

© Ilya Yermakov/TASS

VALETTA /Malta/, December 5. /TASS/. The 31st meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council commenced in Valletta, the capital of Malta, accompanied by a downpour of rain.

The OSCE, which includes 57 countries, remains the most inclusive platform for the discussion of security in Europe. The Russian delegation is represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is seated 14 seats away. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga is also at the table, 11 seats away from Lavrov.

The meeting began simultaneously with a strong rain, which filled the hall with the sound of raindrops tapping on the roof.

"Don’t worry, it’s just rain," Malta's Foreign Minister Ian Borg reassured the ministers, startled by the unexpected noises.

Lavrov is expected to speak at the plenary session and hold a number of bilateral meetings on the sidelines.

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