G8 foreign ministers meet at General Assembly, point to progress in formulating new concept of energy security, says Lavrov

September 23

At a meeting held the day before the UN General Assembly, G8 foreign ministers pointed to the progress made this year in formulating a new concept of energy security, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference.

“Energy security is the concern of relevant departments and associated companies, and the foreign ministers only highlighted the headway that has been made,” the Russian minister said.

The ministers confirmed that the concept is “a truly innovative document that uses a multi-modal approach covering all forms of energy and all nations: consumers, producers and transit countries.” “Specialists will concern themselves with it,” Lavrov said.

At the General Assembly session, G8 ministers discussed the Middle East situation, Iran’s nuclear program, and topics related to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo. “The heads of foreign ministries examined a wide range of international political issues, among them the situation in the Middle East, Iran’s nuclear program, the situation in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo, and other matters,” says a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry’s information and press department.

Lavrov also summed up the political agenda of the Russian presidency of the Group of Eight.