Trust Between Russia and West ‘Impossible,’ Senior Russian Diplomat Tells Closed-Door Meeting

Paul Goble

            Staunton, April 14 – Sergey Markov, a prominent Moscow commentator, says that he recently attended a closed briefing of the Foreign and Defense Council by a senior Russian diplomat who said that trust between Russia and the West is “impossible,” a description of relations Markov said he liked and would like to see become the Kremlin’s public position.

            In remarks widely disseminated on LiveJournal, Markov said that he “was very pleased by the statement of one very highly placed leader of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Unfortunately,” he continued, “I cannot give his name and position; such are the rules” (maxfux.livejournal.com/1246880.html).

            “Just imagine,” the Moscow commentator continued, “experts are conducting a discussion about measures of trust between Russia and the countries of the West. And the foreign ministry representative said ‘about what measures of trust are you talking about? Trust between Russia and the West is impossible.”

            “The countries of the West before our eyes are financing the use of chemical weapons with the goal of a provocation and unleashing a rocket attack on unhappy Syria. Russia has no trust in the West and won’t.  Predictability is the maximum that we can expect from the countries of the West,” the diplomat said.  And “we must work for that. 

            “Judging from these words, which were spoken even unexpectedly,” Markov said, “the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia very clearly understands the harsh reality in which Russia is conducting its foreign policy.” And they show that “the policy of Russia is extremely pragmatic.” 

The leaders of Germany and France have approved the US air strike against a Syrian airbase even though they know that Assad doesn’t have any chemical weapons, although even ‘’the moderate opposition’” they support does.  “They know,” Markov continued, “but they consciously lie.”

It is impossible to trust such people, he added; indeed, “the West must not be trusted.  And the foreign ministry representative was “completely correct” in talking about that. But Moscow needs to acknowledge this “not just at closed sessions but openly. The time for gathering stones has come.”