MOSCOW, May 23. Surprised in Moscow We got acquainted with the statement of Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg about the existence of communication channels with Russia, the Russian side knows nothing about them, according to the statement of the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova on the website of the department.
Earlier, Schallenberg told the German newspaper Welt that the West should continue talk to Russia, noting that his country maintains contacts with the Russian side. At the same time, he also said that it would be difficult for him to shake hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, but he would do it.
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"We were surprised to learn that Vienna, it turns out, supports informal channels communication with the Russian authorities. We don’t know about such people,” Zakharova said in a comment.
“Yes, and there is no subject for such a dialogue with Vienna today — Austria, having unconditionally taken the side of the West’s hostile policy towards Russia, has lost its previously independent role in international affairs, rejecting the principles of neutrality,» Zakharova pointed out.
According to the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, behind such statements by Schallenberg, apparently, «is the desire to justify oneself for one's actions and leave the opportunity for yet another «manoeuvre» within the turbulence of the international situation.»
«As for his worries about the need to shake hands with Russian Minister Sergei Lavrov during a hypothetically possible personal meeting with him, we hasten to reassure Minister Schallenberg — no one will look for his handshake «, she stressed.