MOSCOW. April 2 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia should do all it can to oppose attempts to be ousted from multilateral formats of the settlement of the so-called 'frozen conflicts' in Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transdniestria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
"For instance, provokers are discontent with the work of the negotiating and peacekeeping mechanisms for settling the conflicts over Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transdniestria, which were set up with our participation. Attempts have been made to oust us from these mechanisms on any pretext, replace our peacekeepers with Western ones, and slash all agreements achieved within the framework of these mechanisms, which are based on equality of the conflicting parties. We need to do everything so as not to allow this," Lavrov said in his speech at the State Duma on Wednesday.
The principle of equality in relation to the conflicting parties, which has been supported by the UN and the OSCE, also needs to be observed, he said.