The last two years have been a period of missed opportunities in relations between Russia and Canada, said the head of the Russian foreign Ministry at a large press conference at the end of the year.
MOSCOW, 26 APR –. The last two years in bilateral relations with Canada were a period of lost opportunities, said at a press conference, Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
“We have very good, longstanding relationship. Canada is an influential, respected member of the international relations, we have largely common goals and overlapping interests in terms of Arctic exploration in General and cooperation in the Northern latitudes,” — said the Russian Minister.
According to Lavrov, “the last two years have been a period of missed opportunities in relations with Canada, when abruptly Russophobic line suddenly took the previous government, has withdrawn from bilateral ties, imposed sanctions against Russian individuals and legal entities, hailing the cooperation of the intergovernmental Commission on trade and economic issues”.
“We were surprised by the complete lack of pragmatism in those impulsive actions that the previous government took absolutely taking a course on blind adherence to requirements of extreme representatives of the Ukrainian Diaspora in Canada, and simply ignoring its national interests”, — stressed the head of the Russian foreign Ministry.
He noted that “taking into account those comments which makes (Prime Minister of Canada) Justin Trudeau and his colleagues on foreign policy, we can expect that there is an opportunity to rectify our bilateral relations, which were artificially complicated”.
“We believe that practical steps for our canadian partners who have volunteered and expressed its intention to correct the mistakes of their predecessors. We will wait, we to this positive change is always ready”, — said Lavrov.
