Russia ready to expand diplomatic presence in Latin America - deputy FM

MOSCOW. Dec 22 (Interfax) - Russia stands ready to consider enhancing its diplomatic presence in Latin America if Latin American countries are also interested in this, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in an interview with Interfax.

"We see Latin America and the Caribbean as a separate civilizational layer, as one of the centers of the new global system which is developing. Even in today's quite turbulent geopolitical situation, we are receiving signals from many Latin American capitals seeking to maintain and strengthen their partnership with Russia, even despite the obstacles put up by the West," Ryabkov said.

"The political dialogue, the economy, people-to-people contacts, tourism, [and] interaction on international platforms, including in the UN and with some of them in the G20 and BRICS. These are the assets of our relations with Latin America. No Latin American states have joined the policy of anti-Russian sanctions. For our part, we are ready for any level and scope of relations that these countries themselves are ready for," he said.

"As for broadening the composition of existing Russian diplomatic missions such as embassies [and] consulates general and opening new ones, this is quite possible in the presence of a reciprocal interest in this from a partner, a country of accreditation," he said.

"We will work on it, though to be honest it is costly, as the region is located far away from us geographically. Nevertheless, we will continue this work. Our diplomatic presence has grown somewhat in recent years, including in areas that are popular from the point of view of Russian tourism. But we are at the start of the road in this sense," Ryabkov said.