Russia, China censure Western ‘blackmail, threats’ against other countries

At a G20 meeting, Russia and China have denounced the West for imposing what they called its unilateral approaches by means of “blackmail and threats” against other countries.

Following a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart Qin Gang on the sidelines of the G20 summit in the Indian capital of New Delhi on Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, "A unanimous rejection was expressed of attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, to impose unilateral approaches through blackmail and threats, and to oppose the democratization of international relations."

According to the ministry, Lavrov and Qin also discussed Russia's year-long military campaign in Ukraine.

A 12-point document for peace talks between Kiev and Moscow was put forward by Beijing last week to end the war. China's position, among other things, underscored respect for the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of all countries.

The statement pointed to a "high degree of closeness" between Moscow and Beijing on the issues under discussion.

Moscow says no to joint declaration of G20, blames West

Separately on Thursday, Lavrov said the G20 foreign ministers failed to approve a joint declaration as the West sought to bring the situation around Ukraine to the forefront.

"The declaration was blocked and the outcome of the discussion will be described in the summary that the Indian presidency would speak about," Lavrov told reporters through an interpreter after the talks in the Indian capital.

"Unfortunately, the declaration on behalf of all G20 ministers could not be approved. Our Western colleagues, just as they did a year ago under the Indonesian presidency, tried by all means, by hook or by crook, using various rhetorical statements, to bring to the fore the situation around Ukraine, which they, of course, present under the sauce of the so-called Russian aggression," Lavrov stated.

"Nothing good has come of this. The discussion, at least in some of the speeches by Western delegations, especially the G7 countries, has boiled down to emotional statements. And all of this, of course, was done at the expense of a normal discussion of the problems that really stand on the G20 agenda."

SS