Warsaw Explains Barring Lavrov From OSCE Meeting by Need to Isolate Russia on Int'l Arena

WARSAW (Sputnik) - Warsaw's refusal to allow Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to participate in the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting is unlikely to cause discomfort for Russia and Lavrov, this is a headache for the OSCE, Kremlin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

"Let's remember the end of last year and the beginning of this year. It was the OSCE that actually rejected Russia's constructive proposal for a structured, project-oriented and future-oriented conversation on security issues. It was the OSCE who rejected. Such statements can hardly cause discomfort for our side, especially for Sergey Lavrov. But the fact that this is a big headache for the OSCE, as an organization, is unequivocal," Peskov said, answering journalists' questions.

He noted that the OSCE would lose more from this refusal than Russia.

Earlier in November, a number of media reported that Lavrov had been denied participation in the meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) that will take place in the Polish city of Lodz from December 1-2. The Russian Foreign Ministry called Poland's decision "unprecedented and provocative." In addition, Russian lawmakers were denied visas to participate in the autumn session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to be held in Warsaw from November 24-26.

Meanwhile, Polish diplomat Pawel Jablonski has finally explained his country's decision.

"In our opinion, Russia must now be absolutely isolated on all international platforms as much as possible. Hence the decision. This is a meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, that is, countries for which it is important that Europe be safe. And Russia counteracts this. It has interests that are completely contrary to the whole organization," Jablonski, who serves as the undersecretary for economic and development cooperation at the Polish Foreign Ministry, told Polish broadcaster.

Earlier on Saturday, the Russian foreign ministry said that Poland’s decision to deny Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov participation in OSCE's Ministerial Council violates the organization’s rules.

"It [Warsaw's decision] is incompatible with the status of the chairman of an organization in which 57 countries participate as sovereign and independent states in full equality. The OSCE Rules of Procedure and the legislative mandates were violated, in particular the decision of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Porto [2002] on the principles of the work of the Chairmanship-in-Office," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry emphasized that the decision of Poland, who is the current OSCE chairman-in-office, to refuse Lavrov’s participation in the council is unprecedented and provocative. The Russian delegation at the event will be headed by the Permanent Representative to the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich, the ministry specified.

In addition, Moscow has already sent a request to all OSCE member states to evaluate Poland’s actions.

Western countries were determined to isolate Russia after it launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24. They have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow and urged the international community to ban Russian officials and nationals from attending various events. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia can never be isolated.