Russia will continue to provide assistance to CIS countries during the crisis, the Vesti quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as saying.
"We intend to continue providing assistance to states that were in a particularly difficult situation during the crisis, Lavrov stressed in an interview with the magazine Itogi. The main attention will be given to our closest neighbors - CIS countries", ITAR-TASS said.
"We have already allocated substantial funding to Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia. We are planning to use a specially designed crisis fund EURASEC for this purpose. The total amount of the fund will be $10 billion, out of which $7.5 billion will be contributed by Russia," Russian Minister said.
"The crisis may have a positive affect on the relations between Russia, the West and the United States, above all, to help the United States and the West to convert the relationship with Russia in a more constructive direction. This collaboration not only creates a positive overall agenda of the day, but also helps enough necessary mutual confidence, skills and culture of dialogue and interaction," he added.
"There is not any paradox. A common sense says that artificially politicized issues are put back during the crisis, countries recognize common interests, when the matter is a relevant issue," Lavrov said.
...