MOSCOW. March 15 (Interfax) - Russia has no 'neo-imperialist' ambitions regarding the post-Soviet states, including Central Asia countries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
"The claims of 'neo-imperialist' ambitions, let alone plans to restore the USSR, fall into the category of fiction and don't warrant any serious consideration," Lavrov said in an interview with the International Affairs magazine.
"Russia has always treated with respect the choice the peoples of the former Soviet republics made in favor of independence and the self-determined path of development," the minister said.
"We develop cooperation with them in various formats only on the principles of quality and consideration of each other's interests," he said.
"This fully applies to Central Asia countries as well. Today we productively cooperate with them both on a bilateral basis and as part of integration organizations, such as the CIS, the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization], the EAEU [Eurasian Economic Union] and the SCO [Shanghai Cooperation Organization]," Lavrov said.
"Over almost ten years Russia has provided the Central Asia states with assistance in the amount of $6.7 billion," the minister said.
At the same time, "the main threat to the security of Central Asia comes from the territory of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. "Attempts by ISIL [a terrorist group banned in Russia] to take hold in northern Afghanistan and reinforce its ranks by means of militants from other terrorist groups are especially concerning," the minister said.
"The fairly high rate of cross-border movement of foreign terrorists and militants seeking to return to their states after participation in hostilities in the Middle East and North Africa poses a great danger," he said.
"The number of CIS natives joining the ranks of jihadists runs into thousands of people," the Russian foreign minister said.
"The linkage between terrorism, organized crime and drug trafficking, which is proved not only by estimates of the relevant authorities of Russia and the CIS, but also the statistics of credible international organizations, is alarming. The security services of Russia and the Central Asia states are closely cooperating in those issues," he said.