Rau after meeting with Lavrov: Europe's security is in danger. Diplomacy is the only way out

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) wants to create a platform for talks to prevent crises like the one in Ukraine, the Polish foreign minister said on Tuesday, as he called for further dialogue on the standoff.

"My talks today with the minister (Lavrov) allow me to believe that thanks to these multidimensional efforts, despite the international tension, the gap between our positions... has a chance to be narrowed," said Rau, who is chairman-in-office of the OSCE.

"Europe's security is in deep crisis. Situation around Ukraine remains very tense and there is still risk of it escalating," Rau said.

He assured that Poland's chairmanship of the OSCE was taking all available actions to prevent the said escalation and defuse the tension. "In that spirit, we have proposed an initiative of a new dialogue on European security. I have laid out the logic behind this project to minister Lavrov," the minister added.

"We're counting on the Russian side's involvement in this project and their substantial input," he added.

"We would like to create an informal platform for open political discussion between OSCE nations, which would allow for the discussion of mechanisms for stopping crises like the present one," said Zbigniew Rau, who was serving as chairman of the OSCE, during a visit to Moscow.

He expressed his trust that "dialogue is the best way to handle difficult problems". "I sincerely hope that Russia shares this point of view. The only way out of the present crisis is diplomacy," Rau said.

Russia will continue its dialogue with the West on security issues and is ready for separate talks on intermediate-range nuclear missiles, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday (February 15).

"We will continue our dialogue to clarify Western positions if NATO members are treaty-minded in implementing this principle of the indivisibility of security. Of course, we will engage in expert consultations to align approaches on specific issues, intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles, or reduce military risks. I think that by working on all these areas together, a very good package deal can be achieved."

After talks with Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau in Moscow, Lavrov dismissed as "information terrorism" reports that Russia is planning an incursion into Ukraine. He added that Russia would continue its dialogue with the West on security issues and is ready for separate talks on intermediate-range nuclear missiles

"The drills start, are conducted, and finish as per plan. We have spoken about it many times, referring to the drills in the West of the country, in the Far East, and during joint Russian-Belarusian drills that are conducted according to the schedule agreed upon long before. It is done without regards to what one thinks about it, what hysteria one has, and which kind of information terrorism one performs about it, I dare say," he said.