Moscow considers unacceptable the joint statement by leaders of Foreign Ministries of Germany and France with the call to introduce sanctions against the Russian Federation due to the situation with Alexey Navalny, the commentary of Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova made public on Wednesday said, TASS reports.
“The statement of the two ministers, unacceptable by its content and its tone, indicates the absolute unwillingness of Paris and Berlin to face the facts that were numerous times reiterated by Russian representatives,” the diplomat stressed.
“Instead of proper cooperation with the Russian Federation in the interests of clearing up the circumstances of what happened to the blogger, the governments of Germany and France have now switched to threats and attempts of blackmail directed at us. They are urging the European Union to approve new sanctions against Russian individuals and legal entities,” she added.
The diplomat pointed out that all inquiries of Russia’s Prosecutor General’s office within the framework of the European Convention on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters have been ignored.
“Many time we pointed out to our colleagues the unacceptability of ignoring our numerous inquiries along various lines. There was no reaction,” she pointed out. “Apparently, they got fully engaged in the behind-the-scenes intrigues. Russian inquires both along the bilateral channels and to the OPCW Technical Secretariat to receive appropriate explanations have been openly sabotaged,” the diplomat added.
She didn’t exclude the possibility that Berlin and Paris will take charge of the “anti-Russian coalition” being formed in the European Union despite the numerous assurances of adherence to partnership with Russia. “On our part we confirm that if our colleagues are ready to reconsider this confrontational course, declining pressure attempts, the possibilities to normalize the dialogue are open,” the diplomat pointed out. “If not, we will draw our conclusions. In any case, we do not consider possible “business as usual” with Berlin and Paris,” she concluded.
