24 Mar 2018 19:18

Russia's attempts to explain itself to UK in Skripal case 'meet wall of misunderstanding' - Peskov

MOSCOW. March 24 (Interfax) - Any of Russia's attempts to establish interaction with the United Kingdom on the Skripal case are not reciprocated, the Kremlin said.

"Our wish to facilitate in some way the inquiry into the incident, interact to that end is not reciprocated," Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on the Mir television channel.

"Our intentions and attempts to explain anything at various levels meet the wall of misunderstanding and the wall of unwillingness to listen," he said.

As a proof, the Kremlin spokesperson drew attention to the fact that "the British ambassador does not come to the Russian Foreign Ministry, when there are people ready to reply to any questions."

Earlier this week, the Russian Foreign Ministry held an open briefing on the Skripal case for heads of the diplomatic missions in Moscow. The British ambassador was absent from the briefing, a diplomat of a lower rank represented the embassy.

Peskov also said the situation in which Western countries have solidarity with London, avoiding making direct accusations against Moscow, is absurd.

"We understand that there are, let's say, parameters of solidarity inside the EU, inside NATO. That is why countries manifest solidarity in this manner. However, we give attention to the wording, which is skillfully used. No one, the UK or the UK's allies, is using any specific wording to make any accusations against Russia. We believe that makes the situation absurd," he said.

"Of course, it's highly uncomfortable to us to have such unpredictable and aggressive partners as counterparts. But nevertheless, it's a reality and we need to live with it," Peskov said.

Former GRU colonel Sergei Skripal, who was working for the British intelligence, and his daughter Yulia were hurt as a result of contact with some unknown hazardous substance near a shopping mall in Salisbury in the UK on March 4. They are now comatose. According to British investigators, the people were poisoned using the nerve agent Novichok, which was allegedly developed in Russia.

British Prime Minister Theresa May blamed Russia and declared measures that would be taken against Russia, specifically, the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats.

Russia denies all accusations in the "Skripal case," saying it fully destroyed its chemical weapons in 2017.

Russia declares retaliatory measures against the UK on March 17.