Lavrov Counters Irresponsible Western Policies

by Stephen Lendman Friday, Oct. 03, 2014 at 8:03 PM
lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net

anti-war

Lavrov Counters Irresponsible Western Policies

by Stephen Lendman

They rage out-of-control. Big Lies substitute for hard truths. They reflect state-sponsored duplicity.

They proliferate to enlist popular support for imperial lawlessness. It menaces world peace.

It threatens humanity's survival. Anti-Russian propaganda drowns out what everyone needs to know. It's intense. Unprecedented.

It exceeds the worst of Cold War vitriol. Malicious misinformation substitutes.

Obama threatened Russia irresponsibly. "…(T)here will be consequences if (it) does not find a way to change course," he said.

His UN envoy Samantha Power is ideologically over-the-top. She calls genocidal imperial interventions stunning successes.

She defends the indefensible. She supports ravaging and destroying one country after another.

She bashes Russia relentlessly. Earlier she said Security Council members “me(t) on Ukraine because it is the job of this body to stand up for peace and to defend those in danger."

No nation deplores peace more than America. None cause more harm to more people.

None more mass destruction. None more gravely threaten humanity. Imperial priorities alone matter.

Don’t expect Power to explain. Or other US officials. Or congressional members.

Washington's killing machine gets wholehearted support. Americans are systematically lied to. Everything they most need to know is suppressed.

Big Lies reflect longstanding US tradition. They launch wars. They're weapons of mass deception.

They work when repeated ad nauseam. They scream daily against Russia. They manipulate public opinion. They manufacture consent.

Washington risks open conflict with Moscow. The worst of all possible outcomes could follow.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov champions peace and security. He shames his Western counterparts.

He said Ukrainian crisis conditions reflect Western European/US contradictions. Key is maintaining Ukraine's non-NATO member status.

Lavrov stressed it on the sidelines of General Assembly in New York. He criticized America forthrightly.

"Washington has openly declared its right to use military force unilaterally and wherever it sees fit in order to protect its own interests," he said.

"Western alliance, led by the United States, while defending democracy and human rights, on the global arena assumes an opposite stance, disregarding the principle of the sovereign equality of states, as stipulated in the UN Charter, and trying to decide for others what is good and what is bad."

"Western partners have ignored our numerous warnings, concerning the inadmissibility of breaking the UN Charter and Helsinki Final Act principles, consistently evaded proper collaboration on creating a zone of equal and undivided security and cooperation in the area from the Atlantic to Pacific Oceans," he added.

"The United States and the European Union supported the coup in Ukraine, blindly approved any actions taken by the self-proclaimed Kiev authorities that directed their efforts at violently suppressing the part of the Ukrainian people that rejected the attempts to impose on the country anti-constitutional order and wanted to defend its right to native language, culture and history."

US-led Western countries proliferate violence and instability. Imperialism works this way.

Collaborative efforts to resolve common challenges are systematically avoided. Unchallenged world dominance matters most.

Russia believes national sovereignty is inviolable. It opposes meddling in other nations' internal affairs. It systematically avoids doing so.

It believes in carrots, not sticks. It champions peace and stability globally, Lavrov stressed. It's message is consistently ignored.

"As for NATO, there is a law in Ukraine, which stipulates its non-aligned status," Lavrov explained.

"And we believe that this is one of the most important components to ensure European security." NATO expansion is "absolutely senseless business."

"It is provocative and is undermining the role of European institutions." Russia continues responsible dialogue.

"…(N)o one denies it (or argues against supporting) steps within the framework of the Minsk process."

"We actively support this, we will do everything that depends on us to continue such negotiations and make them effective," Lavrov stressed.

"In our contacts with our American and European colleagues, we constantly draw their attention to the fact that both sides in Ukraine must be influenced in a constructive manner, not incited to actions that would undermine the peace process."

"One may get an impression that some members of the Ukrainian government and its prime minister, Arseny Yatsenyuk, in particular, do not support the steps leading up to normalization with the southeast of the country."

Moscow maintains open communications with Washington. It does so despite hostile US intentions.

What should be done to bring relations "back on track," Lavrov asked? How "to improve relations with" America?

"We did not worsen them and are doing everything to keep communication channels open," he stressed.

When Washington and other Western nations are ready for responsible dialogue, expect Moscow to willingly oblige.

Lavrov discussed Russia's position in detail. He did so addressing the UN's 69th session in New York.

He spoke forthrightly. He explained vital truths. What Western leaders ignore. What they deplore. They warrant highlighting. They deserve repeating in detail below.

"There is growing evidence of the contradiction between the need for collective, cooperative efforts to provide adequate responses to challenges common to all, and the aspirations of a number of countries for domination and the revival of archaic bloc thinking based on military drill discipline and the erroneous logic of 'friend or foe,' " Lavrov said.

"The US-led Western alliance that portrays itself as a champion of democracy, rule of law and human rights within individual countries,acts from a completely opposite position in the international arena, rejecting the democratic principle of the sovereign equality of states enshrined in the UN Charter and tires to decide for everyone what is good or bad."

"Washington has openly declared its right to the unilateral use of force anywhere to uphold its own interests."

"Military interference has become common, even despite the dismal outcome of the use of power that the US has carried out in recent years."

"The sustainability of the international system has been severely shaken by NATO bombardment of Yugoslavia, intervention in Iraq, the attack against Libya and the failure of the operation in Afghanistan."

"Thanks only to intensive diplomatic efforts, an aggression against Syria was averted in 2013."

"There is the involuntary impression that the goal of various “color revolutions” and other goals to change unsuitable regimes is to provoke chaos and instability."

"Today, Ukraine has fallen victim to such an arrogant policy. The situation there has revealed the remaining deep-rooted systemic flaws of the existing architecture in the Euro-Atlantic area."

"The West has embarked upon a course towards 'the vertical structuring of humanity' tailored to its own hardly inoffensive standards."

"After they declared victory in the Cold War and the 'end of history,' the US and the EU opted for expanding the geopolitical area under their control without taking into account the balance of legitimate interests of all the people of Europe."

Western nations ignore sound Moscow advice. They reject peace, security and stability. They spurn core rule of law principles.

"NATO’s change toward hostile rhetoric and to the drawdown of its cooperation with Russia even to the detriment of the West’s own interests, and the additional build-up of the military infrastructure at Russian borders made the inability of the alliance to change its genetic code embedded during the Cold War era obvious," Lavrov explained.

"The US and the EU supported the coup in Ukraine and reverted to outright justification of any act by the self-proclaimed Kiev authorities that used suppression by force on the part of the Ukrainian people that had rejected the attempts to impose an anti-constitutional way of life to the entire country and wanted to defend its rights to a native language, culture and history."

"It was precisely the aggressive assault on these rights that compelled the population of Crimea to take destiny into its own hands and make a choice in favor of self-determination."

They did so near unanimously. International law supports self-determination rights.

"This was an absolutely free choice no matter what has been invented by those who were, in the first place, responsible for the internal conflict in Ukraine," Lavrov explained.

"(A)ttempts to distort the truth and to hide the facts behind blanket accusations have been undertaken at all stages of the Ukrainian crisis."

"Nothing has been done to track down and prosecute those responsible for February's bloody events at Maidan and the massive loss of human life in Odessa, Mariupol and other regions in Ukraine."

"The scale of appalling humanitarian disaster provoked by the acts of the Ukrainian army in southeastern Ukraine has been deliberately underscored."

"Recently, new horrible facts have been brought to light as mass graves were discovered in the outskirts of Donetsk."

"Despite UNSC Resolution 2166, a thorough and independent investigation of the circumstances into the loss of the Malaysian airliner over the territory of Ukraine has been protracted."

"The culprits of all these crimes must be identified and brought to justice. Otherwise it is unrealistic to expect a national reconciliation in Ukraine."

Southeastern Ukrainian freedom fighters had nothing to do with downing MH17. Or Russia.

One or more Ukrainian warplanes bore responsibility. Cannon fire bullet holes provided conclusive proof.

Surface to air missiles weren't involved. Claims otherwise were Big Lies. Washington proliferates them irresponsibly. Media scoundrels regurgitate what demands denunciation.

"Russia is sincerely interested in the restoration of peace in our neighboring country and this should be well understood by all who are even slightly acquainted with the history of the deep-rooted and fraternal ties between our two peoples" Lavrov explained.

"The way towards political settlement is well known." It requires all sides acting responsibly. US-led Western countries refuse.

So does their Kiev fascist puppet regime. It has no legitimacy whatever. Nor coup d'etat authority anywhere.

Russia explains things responsibly. Washington and other Western states proliferate Big Lies.

Imperial priorities matter most. Peace and stability are strictly verboten.

Moscow hopes "good will and denial of support for the 'party of war' in Kiev, which is trying to push the Ukrainian people into the abyss of national catastrophe, (is) the way out of crisis…"

Minsk protocol peace terns are a good start. Persistent violence threatens them.

Full-scale conflict could resume any time. Peace hangs by a thread. Russia goes all-out to preserve it.

More than any other nation globally. Without recognition for its efforts. Enduring irresponsibly bashing instead.

"(A)ttempts to put pressure on Russia and to compel it to abandon its values, truth and justice have no prospects whatsoever," Lavrov stressed.

Moscow promotes peace and stability. "(A) positive and unifying agenda."

"We always were and will be open to discussion of the most complex issues no matter how unsolvable they would seem in the beginning."

"We will be prepared to search for compromises and the balancing of interests and go as far as to exchange concessions provided only that the discussion is respectful and equal."

"There is no alternative today to the development of consensus regarding the rules of sustainable global governance under new historical circumstances - with full respect for cultural and civilizational diversity in the world and the multiplicity of the models of development."

Cooperative actions are vital. Churchill called democracy the worst form of governance except for all others.

A huge democracy deficit exists, Lavrov explained. Longstanding injustices remain. Unilateralism runs counter to resolving conflicts peacefully.

Multi-world polarity alone works responsibly. Moscow champions what Western societies deplore.

It's on the right side of history. It has formidable US-led opposition.

Post-WW II, nations united "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind…"

"(T)o reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small…"

"(T)o establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained…"

"(T)o promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom..."

To affirm international support for tolerance, peace, stability, security, and resolve to promote universal economic and social advancement.

It failed on all counts. Wars without end rage. Washington bears full responsibility. It dominates UN policy.

US-friendly stooge leadership runs things. Imperial priorities matter most. Russia promotes responsible change.

Lavrov explained what's too important to ignore. It's vital to "pay tribute to the memory of all those who died for freedom and the right of all people to determine their own destiny," he said.

"The lessons of that terrible war and the course of events in today's world demand that we join our efforts and forget about unilateral interests and national electoral cycles when it comes to countering the global threats to all humanity."

He concluded saying "(w)e should not allow national egotism to prevail over our collective responsibility."

It takes a giant leap of faith to believe anything ahead looks positive. US imperial wars prevent peace. Humanity's fate hangs in the balance.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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Original: Lavrov Counters Irresponsible Western Policies