Peskov said that such moves are intended to deal a blow
to both Russian-US relations and the future administration’s foreign policy.
MOSCOW, December 30. /TASS/. Russia will give an
adequate response to the fresh US sanctions that demonstrate the outgoing
administration’s unpredictable aggression, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told
reporters late Thursday.
On many occasions, Russia has strongly denied any role
in the attacks, including leaks of sensitive information that marred the
electoral campaign of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. However, the
outgoing Obama administration imposed sanctions on Russia’s military
intelligence and security officers and expelled 35 Russian diplomats over
Moscow’s alleged role.
The Kremlin also hopes that the new US leadership will
fix the outcome of Obama team’s "clumsy moves" and bilateral ties
will improve when Donald Trump takes office.
"With regard to the transitional period now in
Washington we still expect that we would be able to deal with the fallout from
such clumsy moves, such clumsy steps, from behaving like a bull in a china shop
and that sooner or later, through joint steps, we will take the path of
normalizing our bilateral relations," the Kremlin spokesman said.
Inconsistency and aggression by demonstrated the
White House
"From our point of view, such moves by
Washington, by the incumbent US administration are regretfully a display of
unpredictable and, arguably, aggressive foreign policy," the presidential
spokesman said, adding that such moves are intended to deal a blow to both
Russian-US relations and the future administration’s foreign policy.
"Even more perplexing is the fact that the decision
on moves with such a devastating and destructive effect on bilateral relations
are made by the [Obama] administration whose time in power is about to run
out. This, undoubtedly, looks like an absolutely unexpected display of
aggression," the Kremlin spokesman said.
He added that the type of aggression that President
Vladimir Putin spoke of during his latest question-and-answer session earlier
this month.
"Although he did not mention the United States of
America among those potential aggressors, he did not pronounce this country’s
name, but now we can witness practical manifestation of this," he said.
The Kremlin spokesman said the US side did not contact
Moscow before imposing the sanctions, but made public statements that were
"unprecedented in their aggressiveness at the current stage of
international relations."
When asked whether the Russian leader will contact his
US counterpart on the matter, Peskov said he was not aware of such plans.
"I don’t think that we need to hurry," he added.
"As we have already said before, we believe such
decisions, such sanctions to be groundless and illegal from the point of view
of international law," Peskov said. "We reject such unfounded
allegations and accusations against Russia."
Peskov commented on US President Barack Obama’s
statements and the US administration’s decision to impose new sanctions on
Russia. "We regret that president Obama and the US administration have
made such a decision," Peskov noted. According to him, the Kremlin has
been assessing these statements. "We are analyzing the details," he
added.
Blow to Trump’s plans
Moscow believes that by imposing the sanctions in the
waning days of his presidency, Obama is trying to disrupt his successor’s
plans, Peskov said.
"We are convinced that such decisions by the
incumbent administration, which by the way has only three weeks of work
remaining, pursue two goals: first is to further spoil the Russian-US
relations, which are already at their lowest, and, apparently, to deal a blow
to the foreign policy plans of the future administration of the US
president-elect," he said.
"However, the second matter is absolutely a
domestic one and the Americans will have to sort out themselves how lawful this
line of conduct is," the spokesman added. "A model of conduct is
being forced on the future [White House] administration and president-elect
[Donald Trump]."
Peskov added that he has no information on whether
Trump shares the anti-Russian vision of the outgoing administration, because
the Russian and US leaders are yet to begin a substantial and serious dialogue.
"What we do know is that there are attempts to
impose a certain foreign policy direction on the new administration, to limit
its freedom to make decisions and to somehow deprive it of its right to follow
the path endorsed by the new president," he said.
Adequate response
The spokesman did not say what Russia’s response to
sanctions will be, but, due to the principle of reciprocity, it will be
"adequate."
"No doubt, the reaction based on the principle of
reciprocity and will cause significant discomfort to the US side in the same
areas. Anyway, the decision on such moves will be made by the president of
Russia," he said.
Peskov said the Russian president would "to a
certain extent take into account" the fact that the incumbent
administration will resign in three weeks while deciding on Russia’s response.
"With regard to the transitional period now in Washington we still expect
that we would be able to deal with the fallout from such clumsy moves, such
clumsy steps, from behaving like a bull in a china shop and that sooner or
later, through joint steps, we will take the path of normalizing our bilateral
relations," he said.
According to Peskov, the Kremlin is "indisposed
to exaggerate" the effect of Washington’s move.
Diplomatic
story
Commenting on the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats from the
United States, which the White House claimed came in response to alleged
harassment of US diplomats in Moscow, Peskov said he could "only express
total bewilderment over the situation."
He added that he could easily cite several examples of direct pressure on
Russian diplomats in the United States.
Earlier outgoing US President Barack Obama accused
Russian police and special services of harassing US diplomats in Moscow.
"Our diplomats have experienced an unacceptable
level of harassment in Moscow by Russian security services and police over the
last year. Such activities have consequences," Obama said.
"All Americans should be alarmed by Russia’s
actions," the US President urged, adding that alleged cyberattacks on US
political institutions were "directed by the highest levels of the Russian
government."
"With regard to the transitional period now in
Washington we still expect that we would be able to deal with the fallout from
such clumsy moves, such clumsy steps, from behaving like a bull in a china shop
and that sooner or later, through joint steps, we will take the path of
normalizing our bilateral relations," he said.
According to Peskov, the Kremlin is "indisposed
to exaggerate" the effect of Washington’s move.
Diplomatic story
Commenting on the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats from the
United States, which the White House claimed came in response to alleged
harassment of US diplomats in Moscow, Peskov said he could "only express
total bewilderment over the situation."
He added that he could easily cite several examples of
direct pressure on Russian diplomats in the United States.
Earlier outgoing US President Barack Obama accused
Russian police and special services of harassing US diplomats in Moscow.
"Our diplomats have experienced an unacceptable
level of harassment in Moscow by Russian security services and police over the
last year. Such activities have consequences," Obama said.
"All Americans should be alarmed by Russia’s
actions," the US President urged, adding that alleged cyberattacks on US
political institutions were "directed by the highest levels of the Russian
government."
Source: ITAR-TASS 30-12-2016
