Russian Deputy Foreign Minister: Greeting Iranian initiatives, we expect for consideration of our course as well

In his interview to Armenia  Sergei Ryabkov , Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, speaks about the options of regional cooperation at South Caucasus within the participation of Iran, shares Russian position in respect to this issue. Comments the current stage of Russian-Turkish  relations  accentuating those being absolutely concurrent to the relations with South Caucasus countries. Talks about  current conditions of Russian-American relations, presenting the vision of Moscow regarding  prospective in respect to those. 

On April 18, based on the results of his visit  to Georgia, Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian Foreign Minister, mentioned the cooperation of Armenia, Georgia, Iran and Azerbaijan as the compulsory precondition for setting the corridor between Persian Gulf and Black Sea. And h e did not mention Russia in his statement. Is Moscow out of any interest in this project?

 In general we have positive view to this initiative, as well as to any other initiative directed to countries' closeness, cooperation development, problems solution, including infrastructure ones, which are many. I may say that Russia works with Iran in many formats and, of course, we would like these processes be bilaterally transparent.  

In recent years, Russian-Turkish relations   have a “waiving” nature. Pics are shifted with failures. It would be nice to hear  about  Your estimation of the current stage. As well as Your forecasts regarding further relations with Ankara.

The periods when moving forward is shifted with slowing down and even with driving back, are not peculiar  not only for Russian-Turkish relations. Unfortunately, in the current world full of turbulence this is a very common thing. Anyway, during recent months we succeed in our moving forward with Ankara  in bilateral aspect and in  the meaning of  Syrian problem effective solutions, as we hope so. However, the results of all these negotiations inspire some  optimism to us.

It is a historical habit that good relations between Russia and Turkey   do generate some tension in Armenia and   inspire opinion that Armenian interests could be harmed…

Russian-Turkish relations are not aimed at shifting anything and will  never be of a harm for any party. Russia has strategic relations with Armenia, has special relations with Azerbaijan, specific relations with Georgia, and naturally unique relations with Southern Ossetia and Abkhazia. According to him, each and every of those relations  are of big and separate value for Moscow.

In this context, I could say that nothing in Russian Turkish relations  could be viewed and never will be viewed as a counter balance to any other relations. The could be no counter balance to harm any interests of Caucasus states

Very often Russian-Turkish relations are being characterized as exclusively economical. But I see You do not agree with such point of view? 

Sure I do not. How could be the complex of our relations treated as only an economic cooperation, when  the political interest is present in any way and many different  spect?

And it is very good such interest exists,  especially in this complicated period.

Exactly today the 100-day of Donald Trump’s Presidency completes.  Following the statements voiced yet at the stage of his pre electoral campaign by some Russian experts and politicians, Moscow treated his Presidency with certain optimism. How far that  optimism turned  justified?             

Obviously, either  Moscow and Washington have mutual aim to go back to normal relations

 I can say that Donald Trump's 100 days of Presidency led neither to positive nor to negative development of Russian-American relations. So, the set is accompanied with lack of results. I hope this is temporary. So, we have to continue working, anyways, we do not see throwback to past", he stressed.  April 30 turns  100 days of Donald Trump's Presidency. USA President himself characterized that period as successful. The positions of Moscow and Washington, of course, have objective divergences on a number of issues. However, this does not lead to further worsening of Russian-American relations, and declamation in general.  Of course, we would like more in relations with USA, however, the normalization process goes pretty hard yet. At that, the most important in all these still remains wish to go back to normal relations both in Moscow and in Washington.