Russia is ready to discuss the exchange of prisoners with the US: Russian FM
New Delhi: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday told reporters that Russia is ready to discuss the exchange of prisoners with the US, but only within a channel, negotiated by the two national leaders.
“If the Americans once again decide to resort to public diplomacy and to make loud announcements that they plan to take some steps, then that is their business, and I would even say their problem. The Americans often do not comply with agreements on a quiet professional work on this and many other topics,” he added.
On US Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, the Russian Foreign Minister said, “There were sharp remarks made by our Chinese partners, whom we support and there were counter statements by the US and Japan that it is none of China’s business, and that the declared policy of supporting the ‘One China policy does not mean that they have to ask permission from Beijing to visit Taiwan. That’s some strange logic, to be sure.”
The Russian FM Lavrov on contact with Blinken said “Despite the statements made by the White House that the US Secretary of State will “buttonhole” the Russian Minister if he has the chance, Blinken displayed no interest in a contact, I did not see that he was interested in buttonhole me or whatever, all my buttons are intact.”
The US manipulates its obligations as the UN headquarters host country. Recently, the Russian Foreign Minister sent a letter on this issue to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, “who must make the headquarters host country behave properly.”
Moscow does not know yet, what will be the level of Russia’s representation during the upcoming UN General Assembly: “Whether it will be a delegation from Moscow, or if our American colleagues will obstruct the arrival of our delegation in the spirt of their ‘love of freedom,’ we’ll see,” Lavrov said.
“Russia can be not represented in the UN, and it is not up for the Western states to decide that,” he added.
(Vinayak)
