Russian Foreign Minister: Finland’s debate on NATO arouses interest in Russia

Sergei Lavrov

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In terms of security, there are no serious arguments in favour of the further enlargement of NATO, commented Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to Helsingin Sanomat in a written statement received on Monday.
      According to Lavrov, it is obvious that the debate on Finland’s possible membership of NATO is being followed closely in Russia.
     
"We are naturally interested in the debate on Finland’s possible membership of NATO, as our many-sided and beneficial mutual cooperation with the neighbouring country has been built over many decades. -- We are also aware that Finland is interested in deepening its cooperation with NATO to a certain extent", noted Lavrov.
      The Russian Foreign Minister underlined that Russia’s opinion is based on the "official view" of Finland.
      "As far as we understand the Finnish leadership is constantly emphasizing that the country should continue the policy of not allying itself militarily", Lavrov added.
     
In Lavrov’s view, the assumption that Russia’s foreign policy is aggressive is wrong. Moreover, he does not see any problems with the state of democracy in Russia.
      "The opposition is working openly and publicly, as frequently reported by the media. Russian citizens are free to express their political views in public, and to support any political action plan they like. All this implies that democracy in Russia functions in a normal way", Lavrov claimed.
      The interview of Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was conducted in the form of written questions which were sent to him by Helsingin Sanomat at the beginning of September, well prior to the views on NATO expressed in front of a TV camera by Vladimir Kozin, a diplomat at the Russian Embassy in Helsinki.
      Minister Lavrov’s answers were received on Monday.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  EDITORIAL: Relations with Russia - blasts from the past (19.10.2007)

Helsingin Sanomat