Israel's interests will be factored into future Syria deals, Russian diplomat says - Naama Lanski and Israel Hayom Staff

by Naama Lanski and Israel Hayom Staff

Israel and Russia are "in the same boat" against terrorism, says Russian deputy ambassador to Israel

Russian Deputy Ambassador to Israel Alexey Drobinin | Photo credit: Moshe Shai

"Israel can fully count on Russia for its interests to be factored into any future security, political and diplomatic agreements relating to Syria," Russian Deputy Ambassador to Israel Alexey Drobinin told Israel Hayom in an interview this week. 

"In the fight against terrorism," he said, "we [Russia] and Israel are in the same boat." 

Russia has emerged as a major player in the Syrian civil war, and while Russia does not hide its close relationship with the Iran-Syria alliance, it is not entirely clear how this relationship impacts Israel.

"Russia and Israel have formed many channels to conduct intensive, practical and professional dialogue on everything regarding the situation in Syria," Drobinin said.

In addition, he defended Syrian President Bashar Assad, insisting that "the Syrian authorities never used chemical weapons in this war. It was not done by Assad's government, but rather by those who fight against him."

The Assad regime has been accused of engaging in chemical warfare several times during the ongoing conflict in Syria, now in its seventh year.

Drobinin, who will complete his three-year term next month, also spoke about claims that Russia interfered in the U.S. presidential election last year, which ended in a surprise win for U.S. President Donald Trump.

"The political system in the U.S. is mired day and night in an issue that has no evidential basis," he said. "The level of blame directed at Russia is so high and so ridiculous. [This is] an abnormal situation, where the losing side, along with powers in the Washington establishment, is unwilling to come to terms with the fact that someone like Donald Trump won the election."

He insisted he had "no information on any connection between Trump or his people and Russia. Everything we know about Trump is what he said during the campaign, and we have not yet received proof that he will go on a path to promote dialogue with Russia and improve relations between the countries. Each step he takes in this direction will apparently be attacked, blocked and appear like a betrayal of U.S. interests. As far as Russia is concerned, this is really unfortunate, as it is an obstacle to improving relations between the two countries."

"The Trump administration inherited very strained relations with Russia from the preceding Obama administration," he pointed out. "In certain aspects, relations are even worse today than what they were during the Cold War."

Regarding the harassment of the LGBT community and the infringement of their rights in Russia, Drobinin said that "there are those who claim that Russia is backward and undeveloped. But at this point in time, it is clear to the Russian public that the Constitution of the Russian Federation must be honored, and that laws will not be forced upon us from outside. Under the law, propaganda promoting an LGBT way of life is forbidden, especially in an open manner and in front of the youth. Engaging in an LGBT way of life privately is permitted, however."

"We have many LGBT public personalities in every field in Russia," he said, "including in politics, diplomacy, media and culture."

"I recoiled at the Tel Aviv Pride Parade," he admitted. "Emotionally, psychologically, in all regards. It bothers me. I did not feel comfortable at the sight of the last parade, to say the least. But I am a foreign representative in Israel, and I respect what is acceptable and fitting to the population here."

"At the same time," he said, "I ask that they not criticize our laws, and that they do not get involved in internal Russian affairs."

Naama Lanski and Israel Hayom Staff

Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=43651

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