Russia expects new Estonian leadership to pursue constructive approach to bilateral relations - Russian ambassador to Estonia
TALLINN. Dec 6 (Interfax) - Russia is in favor of further promoting bilateral relations with Estonia and wants Tallinn to pursue a constructive approach as well, Russian Ambassador to Estonia Alexander Petrov said in an interview with Interfax.
Congratulatory messages forwarded by senior Russian officials to the Estonian leadership after the new president and the new government, including the foreign minister, came to power in Estonia "made it very clear that we are ready to develop contacts with the leadership of Estonia in a constructive way," he said.
"We reaffirm our intention. This is our fundamental approach, our fundamental stance on the development of bilateral relations. We would like to feel reciprocity from the Estonian side as well," the ambassador said.
When asked whether the Estonian side was sending such signals, Petrov said: "Unfortunately, no. We would like to be guided by purely practical matters. We are not making it a secret that we are expecting positive changes to happen with the new government's arrival. It is the path that we are ready to follow, but 'it takes two to tango'."
"It is obviously premature to speak about any concrete signals" in the situation whereby the new leadership has come to power in Estonia, the ambassador said.
"That is why, today we are certainly watching and analyzing what is happening in Estonia without drawing any hasty conclusions. We would like to hope that the positive hopes linked with the start of the new government's work will become a reality," he said.