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Russia Publishes New Foreign Policy Concept
Russia on Monday published a new foreign policy concept approved by President Vladimir Putin on June 28, which describes the country's diplomacy as "omnidirectional, balanced, independent and based on national interests."
"Russia will pursue an independent, balanced, open and predictable foreign policy," Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov told a news conference on Putin's new foreign policy.
The new concept calls for protecting the country's national interests in a consistent and, if need be, tough way, but "this approach has nothing to do with national egotism, isolationism or confrontation," Ivanov said.
"We advocate openness to cooperation and the search for a balance of interests." He stressed.
Taking healthy pragmatism as its theme, "the concept provides for foreign policy helping in a tangible way in the resolution of domestic problems," Ivanov said, noting that this does not imply "narrowing the sphere of Russian foreign policy activity." "It will be more rational and cost-effective both politically and economically," he added.
The country's foreign policy will work for the security of the country and the creation of "favorable conditions for economic growth and the protection of the interests of our citizens and fellow countrymen abroad," he said.
"New challenges and threats to Russia's national interests" are emerging in the international sphere, while the tendency towards a uni-polar structure of the world, in which the United States dominates economically and militarily, is strengthening, the new concept says.
"The strategy of unilateral actions and weakening the role of the U.N. Security Council can destabilize the situation in the world, provoke tension and an arms race, exacerbate inter-governmental contradictions, as well as national and religious discord," it reads.
The document says Russia "will strive for a multi-polar system of international relations that will reflect the diversity of the present-day world and its diverse interests in a real way."
Ivanov emphasized that the new concept is "maximally concrete as to the determination of Russia's priorities in the solution of global and regional problems."
Russia "has always been and will be a great power, a powerful military and nuclear power," Ivanov said, reaffirming that Moscow will not violate international law or the U.N. Charter to achieve its national interests.
"By means of the concrete actions of politicians, we are demonstrating that the role of Russia is the role of a great power in the world order of the 21st century taking shape today," said the minister.
"We do not intend to and will not relinquish our national interests... Therefore, when toughness is called for, there will be toughness. However, this should not be interpreted as confrontation or aggression, it should be seen as the firm, constructive defense of national interests," he said.
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