U.S. elites form "anti-Russian consensus," bilateral relations not expected to improve in near future - Ryabkov
NEW YORK. Nov 26 (Interfax) - Russia expects no radical improvement in its relations with the United States and has no illusions on that score, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has said.
"We expect no drastic change for the better in the bilateral relationship under the current U.S. administration. We can see that Washington's Russia policy is literally imbued with an ideology that envisions a drastic change in Moscow's foreign-policy course, which for us is unacceptable," he said in an interview with Interfax.
"Nor do we expect any shift that would allow this whole picture to be changed by Washington," the deputy minister said.
"A general field of extremely unfavorable information against Russia has formed here, in the U.S. What has formed is essentially an anti-Russian consensus of elites. One should have no illusions in this situation," Ryabkov said.
At the same time he is convinced that Moscow and Washington must use their chances of partnership on issues of parallel interest and approach.
"There are such topics, albeit not that many, but they do exist," the deputy minister said.
He warned against "trying to make, on the basis of such joint work, far-reaching conclusions about things changing (or not changing) for the better".
"Russia is open to partnership and normal relations with the U.S., we have no reason not to cooperate on a positive agenda. But the experience of the past few years shows the difficulty of interacting with Washington even on a seemingly uniting agenda, on issues such counter-terrorism," said the high-ranking diplomat.
When thinking of the Russian-U.S. relations, one should not try to "play tricks and embellish things," he said.
"Russia will not be pressed and coerced into concessions. Unless Washington realizes that, I think, there is no particular chance of a dramatic improvement in our relations. Which this realization comes - which is inevitable - then change for the better will be possible," Ryabkov said.