Russian, US and other ministers expected at UN meetings

FILE: U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (Photo: Rex Tillerson Secretary/Facebook)

Two high-level Security Council meetings this week will focus on “confidence building” measures to deal with weapons of mass destruction where North Korea is expected to be in the spotlight and Afghanistan’s partnership with Central Asia “as a model to link security and development.”

Deputy Russian Ambassador Petr Iliichev said Monday that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will attend both meetings. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is also likely to attend, along with ministers from council nations and Central Asia.

Kazakhstan, the first Central Asian nation to preside over the council, holds the presidency this month and its ambassador, Nursultan Nazarbayev, will preside at Thursday’s meeting on “confidence building measures.” Its foreign minister will preside at Friday’s Afghanistan-Central Asia meeting.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will brief members at both meetings.