MOSCOW, March 29 (RIA Novosti) – Attempts to alienate Moscow and Beijing are futile and naïve as Russia and China share a similar understanding of the roots of the Ukrainian crisis, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Saturday.
“Our contacts with Chinese partners prove that they not only recognize Russia’s legitimate interests in this situation, but also share with us a similar understanding of the roots of the Ukrainian crisis,” Lavrov said in an interview with Rossiya television.
Lavrov said if the reports of attempts by US officials to pressure China into reconsidering its economic agreements with Russia are true, the degree of their [Americans] naivety and ignorance could be described only as “going through the roof.”
“I would say that failure to understand the essence of the Chinese policy, the essence of the Chinese nature is inexcusable for professionals who attempt to arrange this kind of talks,” the minister said.
China, which has own restive regions such as Tibet, has taken a cautious response to the issue of Crimea.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said during his visit to Berlin on Friday that his country “does not have any private interests” in the Ukrainian political crisis.
"All parties involved should work for a political and diplomatic solution to the conflict," he said.
Beijing, a regular ally of Russia, abstained from a UN Security Council vote earlier this month on a draft resolution condemning the referendum in Crimea. It also abstained from a vote on a non-binding UN General Assembly resolution to declare the referendum invalid on Thursday.
The West describes the popular vote in Crimea, in which nearly 97 percent voted in favor of rejoining Russia, as illegitimate, while Moscow says it is in line with the UN Charter and international laws.
