Lavrov to attend UN General Assembly session

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is expected to take part in the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced earlier it was expected that the search for ways to resolve the crisis in  Syria on the basis agreed earlier would continue during Lavrov’s meetings with US Secretary of State John and UN peace envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi.

A trilateral meeting of Lavrov, Kerry and Brahimi could be held as well,according to Voice of Russia, Interfax.

Lavrov will have a busy time during the current UN General Assembly Session, where the Russian delegation is leading, according to Russia’s Foreign Ministry.

“Besides some bilateral meetings, Lavrov will take part in a conference of the foreign ministers of BRICS [Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa], a session of the International Quartet on the Middle East, and a meeting of the P5+1 on the Iranian nuclear program,” the ministry said in a statement posted on its website.

“There are also meetings planned with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, including in the five-party format of the permanent members of the UN Security Council,” it said.

Lavrov’s bilateral meetings with EU Foreign Policy Chief Baroness Catherine Ashton, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague, Palestinian National Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari and other officials are expected to take place on the sidelines of the General Assembly session as well.

The program of the 68th session includes a number of high-level events, which will address nuclear disarmament and other pressing issues on today’s international agenda, the ministry said.

M.D