Russia on Tuesday accused Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States of laying the groundwork for a protracted conflict in Asia by creating the AUKUS bloc, which would allow Canberra to buy US nuclear submarines.
“With the establishment of blocs such as the AUKUS and the advance of NATO structures towards Asia, the Anglo-Saxon world declares that it is preparing seriously for a conflict that will last for many years,” said Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. during the inauguration of the first congress of the International Russophile Movement.
The head of Russian diplomacy doubts that “the great Asian civilizations simply submit to orders (…)”, and rules out that Asian countries “obediently follow the ideas of Washington and other Anglo-Saxon countries”.
Lavrov noted that Russia is not trying to “prevent anyone from realizing their legitimate interests”.
“Nevertheless, when the need is declared to subordinate the whole world, for example to the Atlantic Alliance, and Asia is the area that [a NATO] intends to master it completely, I do not believe that the sense of justice innate in the Russian people and in the vast majority of civilizations will allow us to remain silent,” he underlined.
Russia’s foreign minister said the West “publicly demands that everyone, including countries representing great ancient civilizations, do its bidding.”
Lavrov added that this is the difference with “Western civilization, obsessed with its grandeur and exclusivity, which really fights to the death to maintain by all means the dominance that eludes it in the world arena”.
International Atomic Energy Agency warns of risks arising from deal to build new generation of nuclear submarines in Australia
The Kremlin also expressed concern today about the risk of nuclear proliferation arising from the Washington-London-Canberra agreement.
“In any case, many questions arise about the issue of non-proliferation” of nuclear weapons, said Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Russian presidency.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has also warned of proliferation risks arising from the agreement to build a new generation of nuclear submarines in Australia.
“Ultimately, the Agency must ensure that there is no proliferation risk from this project,” UN agency director-general Rafael Grossi said in a press release.
“The legal obligations of the parties and non-proliferation issues are paramount,” Grossi stressed.
general manager @rafaelmgrossi“s statement regarding #AUKUS announcement https://t.co/VE44Pg1P9B pic.twitter.com/PMjeSOApMi
– IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency ⚛️ (@iaeaorg) March 14, 2023
On Monday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia was making “the largest investment in its history” with the AUKUS alliance, allowing it to buy North American nuclear submarines before participating in the construction of a new generation of these devices.
This project, carried out in partnership with the United States and the United Kingdom, will “support the Australian economy for decades” and create “about 20,000 direct jobs” in the country, the head of the Australian government stressed.
Anthony Albanese made these statements in San Diego, California, along with US President, Joe Biden, and UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, who met to formalize the project, as part of the new AUKUS military alliance, which unites the United States. , Australia and the United Kingdom and was formalized in September 2021.
This is the first time in 65 years that the United States has shared its nuclear propulsion technology.
Source: DN
