US must end far-fetched insinuations against Russia - FM

MOSCOW, April 24 (Itar-Tass) - Groundless allegations against Russia, which are devoid of any foundation are a characteristic mode of US action in relation to the Ukrainian crisis, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday. Moscow is surprised over the fact the American side, “while emphatically refusing to recognize the free expression of will by the people of Crimea in the March 16 referendum, has repeatedly raised the issue of the observance of rights and commercial interests of US citizens resident in Crimea, but has not mentioned a single fact or at least a name.” “The two ‘papers’ the Department of State has provided after repeated reminders contain merely general speculations about ‘threats to security’ for Americans and their businesses in Crimea in the new situation and the possibility of raider attacks and visa restrictions,” the Foreign Ministry said. “We are being urged to take the proper measures for preventing illegal actions, but nothing is being said who and what is in the focus of attention. This is a characteristic style of the United States in relation to the Ukrainian crisis. Groundless accusations, devoid of any foundation are being made against Russia and those who are not to Washington’s liking.” The Russian side, the Foreign Ministry said, is open to an honest dialogue, but it dismisses groundless allegations having the sole aim of presenting the situation in Crimea in a distorted way.” “Similar tactics, incidentally, are being employed to show at any cost a ‘Russian connection’ of the protest demonstrations by desperate residents of the Southeast of Ukraine,” the Foreign Ministry said. “Sometimes it comes to absurd arguments to the effect the self-defence forces use Kalashnikov automatic rifles, which, are used by the Ukrainian army and police as well, and that alleged commandoes from Russia communicate with each other over the radio in Russia - the mother tongue of a majority of the population in the south-eastern regions,” the Foreign Ministry said. “Not to mention the widely demonstrated photograph of a bearded gunman who is presented as a Russian officer who participated in hostilities in South Ossetia. In one photograph the man has a red beard, but in another the beard is black, but it seems the Americans just do not care about such discrepancies.” “It is to be hoped that the United States will at last put an end to far-fetched insinuations against Russia for the sake of joint work to promote joint work to help Ukraine cope with an acute internal crisis, provoked by the February coup in Kiev.” Learn more on itar-tass.com