Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova during a briefing in Moscow. File photoMOSCOW, Apr 22Russia does not cling to its observer status with the Organization of American States (OAS), the organization has long lost its status as a universal institution in the Western Hemisphere, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. the status of a universal regional organization of the countries of the Western Hemisphere. Cuba has not participated in its work since 1962, and Havana did not return to the bosom of the organization even after the ban imposed on it was lifted in 2009,» Zakharova said in a statement on the Foreign Ministry website.
Moscow regrets the decision of the OAS to suspend the status of Russia, the Foreign Ministry said that last year Nicaragua began the process of withdrawing from the OAS, the place of Venezuela for more than two years is occupied by «the representative of the impostor who proclaimed himself the president of the country» — the legitimate government of Venezuela left the OAS in 2019. «We are not in favor of observer status with the OAS cling. The reasons and goals of our special military operation in Ukraine are known and understandable to partners who are unbiased and open to dialogue. We are sure that history will put everything in its place. We have not the slightest illusion about US and Canadian policy. We hope that the Latin Americans will be able to understand what a short-sighted anti-Russian game they were drawn into at the OAG site,» Zakharova added. She also noted that Russia's cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean partners continues and will deepen. «We are convinced that this fully meets the national interests of our states,» the representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry concluded.
