U.S., West begin to understand intl problems cannot be resolved without Russia - Matviyenko
MOSCOW. Nov 16 (Interfax) - The United States and the European Union are beginning to realize the impossibility to disregard the Russian standpoint on world problems, Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko has said.
"They are beginning to understand both in Europe and in the United States that the efficient resolution of any international problems is impossible without the participation of Russia," Matviyenko said in an interview published by the newspaper Izvestia on Monday.
In her words, the events in Ukraine and Syria and the need to coordinate efforts in the fight against international terrorism are the best proof of that.
Concerning the forthcoming presidential election in the United States, the Federation Council chairperson said that, "irrespective of who, either a republican or a democrat, wins, the understanding that they cannot try to stalemate Russia and it is impossible to disregard our standpoint on every complex international affair will be rising."
"It just seems it is already hard for the incumbent U.S. president to make any drastic change. Time will show whether our relations will become warmer and better. But I am confident that the pointless confrontation will not escalate," Matviyenko said.
The fact that there are candidates in the United States openly declaring their wish to be friends with Russia "reflects the opinion of certain U.S. population strata" because "neither candidate will express one's personal view unless it is shared by his voters to one degree or another," the chairperson of the Russian parliament's upper house said.
Many severed relations between Russian and Western military and diplomatic agencies are now being restored, and interaction between our countries is growing, she said.
"So, the first step has been made to resolve the communication impasse. We call for the soonest abandonment of any mutual claims and for beginning to listen to and understand positions of each other," she added.
"It is an illegal and, most importantly, unpromising way to pressure Russia and to achieve a modification of our principled position by sanctions. The West is slowly beginning to realize that. There are rather many sober-minded people there, in particular, amongst politicians and diplomats. The number of those wishing to resolve disputable issues in dialogue, personal communication is especially large amongst parliamentarians," Matviyenko said.
In her opinion, "the cooling period will come to an end and common sense will win. This process is already underway."
