Moscow: OCOS Alliance threatens security in Asia and the Pacific

The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that the OCOS  alliance threatens to undermine the security in Asia and the Pacific, stressing Moscow’s refusal to deploy the military infrastructure of the United States and NATO in Central Asia.

“We told the US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland   that the OCOS alliance threatens to undermine security in Asia and the Pacific and poses risks to the non-proliferation regime. We also stressed that the deployment of the military infrastructure of the United States and NATO in Central Asia is absolutely unacceptable for Russia,”  Maria Zakharova, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman was quoted as saying by Sputnik news agency.

Based on the results of consultations with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, in which Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin participated, Moscow and Washington share the desire to continue dialogue for more stable and predictable bilateral relations, she added.

Nuland visited Russia on October 11-13 and held meetings with Ryabkov, Vice President of the Presidential Administration Dmitry Kozak and Presidential Assistant Yuri Ushakov.

The “OCOS” alliance is a tripartite security agreement between Australia, the United States of America and Britain to help Australia develop and deploy nuclear-powered submarines, in addition to strengthening the Western military presence in the Pacific region.

On the other hand, Zakharova said that a Taliban delegation will visit Moscow next week to participate in the “Moscow Formula” meetings on the situation in Afghanistan.

The Russian Foreign Ministry had announced earlier that preparations were underway for the meetings to be held on the 20th  of this month.

Representatives from Russia, Afghanistan, India, Iran, China and Pakistan are scheduled to participate in these meetings.

Inas Abdulkareem