"This goal has to be achieved in a comprehensive step-by-step manner through realization of the EU common spaces in keeping with the four Roadmaps adopted in Moscow on May 10, build-up of cooperation through the Russia-NATO Council, reform of the OSCE, development of partner relations with the international organizations," Lavrov said.
Among the promising directions of cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Lavrov cited the ensuring of compatibility between the antiterrorist and peacekeeping units, systems of theater missile defense, air-traffic and emergency-reaction control.
Lavrov has confirmed that Russia is not going in the foreseeable future to join the European Union or the North Atlantic Alliance. "I don't think we'll be invited there or will have to merge with these two massive multilateral players in the international arena," Lavrov said.
He stressed that Russia can well claim, which it duly does, the role of an independent foreign-policy factor.
Simultaneously, he said in recent years the Russian policy towards the EU and NATO has been quite consistent.
Lavrov voiced confidence that Russia should develop relations with the EU and NATO on "an equal footing." He admitted that it is "no simple thing."
"They have their own numerous interests which in many particulars, many specific aspects do not coincide with ours, but we have to [keep] do[ing] so," Lavrov stressed.
As regards relations with the United States, he said that the sphere of common interests of Russia and the United States is bigger than the sphere of discrepancies.
"Building up this potential (of the US-Russia relations), we have an opportunity not only to curb the people seeking a tougher American policy towards Russia but also remove our concerns over the policy of the American administration," Lavrov said.
According to the Russian foreign minister, this also goes for the unfolding of the global antimissile defense system, configuration of the American presence in the world, other questions.
"On all these questions we maintain a specific to-the-point dialog and believe that the consistent policy line towards involving the United States in equal cooperation is more productive than emotional reaction which does not rely on real steps," Lavrov said.
He reproached the United States and the European Union for their insufficient pressure on the ex-USSR Baltic countries on the problem of ethnic minorities.
Lavrov stressed that Russia wants a stronger international pressure to be brought on Latvia and Estonia for making them observe the rights of ethnic minorities, including the Russian-speaking population.
He said that all the assurances of Western partners that, following the accession of Latvia and Estonia to the EU and NATO, the ethnic-minorities problem would be settled, "have not been confirmed in practice."
"It is a theme of our poignant, ... outspoken conversation with our Western partners. No satisfactory result has yet been reached," Sergei Lavrov said.
