Russia has something to offer its partners in the South Caucasus, the Foreign Ministry said

Brief retelling from RIA II

Russia can offer its partners in the South Caucasus access to its market, transport connectivity, investment and cooperation in industry and high technology.

The Russian side will promote a creative agenda in the South Caucasus based on sovereign equality and respect for mutual interests.

Russia sees the South Caucasus not as a springboard against anyone, but as an opportunity for human contacts, infrastructure development and cooperation.

MOSCOW, October 6 - RIA Novosti. Russia has something to offer its partners in the South Caucasus, in particular access to its market, transport connectivity, investment and cooperation in industry and high technology, Mikhail Kalugin, director of the fourth department of the CIS countries of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

“Russia has something to offer its partners. This is access to our huge market, transport connectivity, supplies of a number of critical goods at competitive prices, ensuring food and energy security, investment, cooperation in industry and high technology,” Kalugin said.

The diplomat emphasized that the Russian side will continue to promote a creative agenda in the South Caucasus based on sovereign equality and respect for mutual interests.

“We listen and hear our partners, we avoid mentoring and dictatorship. This is our diplomatic culture. These are our principles that underlie the activities of such international formats with the participation of Russia as the EAEU, CSTO, CIS, BRICS, SCO. In Western organizations, the situation is different. There is bloc discipline,” noted the director of the department.

Kalugin pointed out that if someone, looking at a map of the South Caucasus, sees a springboard there against someone, then Russia sees human contacts, roads, ports, tourist routes, energy projects, bridges between North and South, East and West.