Ireland is among the countries to receive a terse letter from the Russian government demanding answers about its security policy as tensions rise over Ukraine.
The letters, signed by Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, were sent to a wide group of countries including the United States, Canada and European states at a delicate moment as Russian troops massed near the Ukraine border.
The letters question whether the recipients have abided by a security agreement signed in 1999, broadly casting western countries as the aggressors in current tensions.
“You are well aware that Russia is seriously concerned about increasing politico-military tensions in the immediate vicinity of its western borders,” reads a version of the letter published by the Russian government.
There are “serious differences in the understanding of the principle of equal and indivisible security that is fundamental to the entire European security architecture,” it adds.
“We believe it is necessary to immediately clarify this issue, as it will determine the prospects for future dialogue.”
The letter refers to a 1999 agreement of the 57-member Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), signed in Istanbul at a time when Bertie Ahern was taoiseach.
That accord stated that countries were free to choose their security arrangements, alignment or neutrality but that they “will not strengthen their security at the expense of the security of other states”.
After sending the letters, Mr Lavrov told reporters that western countries were trying to do away with this principle.
Moscow views Nato’s expansion eastwards following the cold war as aggressive encroachment, and sees a provocation in Nato’s refusal to rule out accepting Ukraine as a member. Nato insists it is merely a defensive alliance that new members can join.
The letters request a “prompt” response, and asks that countries write back individually rather than co-ordinating joint replies.
Not exclusive
EU diplomats will discuss the letters when they meet to discuss the security situation on Thursday, and may consider whether to co-ordinate a response.
The Government has said it will respond to the letter from Mr Lavrov “in due course”.
“We understand that Minister Lavrov has written to all his OSCE counterparts regarding the principles underpinning collective European security, as outlined in various OSCE agreements and acts,” a spokesman for Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said.
“Minister Coveney received the letter on Monday and intends to reply to the letter in due course.”
Speaking before the Oireachtas committee on foreign affairs on Wednesday evening as news of the letter broke, Russia’s ambassador to Ireland, Yuriy Filatov, said the letter was “not an exclusive letter to Ireland”.
“With the only point and question ... how do you at this point in time view the principle of indivisibility of security?”
“You can tell by our own discussion here that it’s quite an important and crucial thing to make up our minds, because with the answer to this question everything else will depend upon. I would say this is not a challenge, this is a respectful question which will be factored into our own deliberation and the report to the president what next will be the steps by Russia in the ongoing dialogue.”
