UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charlie Flanagan told Sputnik that he would welcome a chance to hold a bilateral meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York if an opportunity arises.
"I haven’t had an opportunity," Flanagan said when asked whether he has any bilateral meeting planned with his Russian counterpart. "I think if the opportunity presents itself, I would be very happy to engage with him. I think it’s important that Russian-Irish relations continue to be constructive and positive. In terms of the geographic distance we on the face of it perhaps don’t have too much in common. But I would certainly welcome the opportunity of engagement should it arise."
On September 13, the 71th session of the UN General Assembly kicked off under the presidency of Peter Thomson, the permanent representative of Fiji.
