MOSCOW, MAY 16, (RIA Novosti) - Technically speaking, Russia has nothing against the European Union's participation in mediating conflicts in the post-Soviet neighborhood. This was disclosed May 15 to the Vesti-Nedelya information-analytical program by presidential aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky.
"It is absolutely clear that an expanded EU has become much more interested in the situation on post-Soviet territory," Yastrzhembsky noted. "This concerns the settlement of 'frozen' conflicts. In principle, this is a good thing. We have nothing against the EU's mediatory role here. At the same time, this should not prove detrimental to existing formats of talks aiming to settle these conflicts," Yastrzhembsky stressed.
Talking about relations with the Baltics, Yastrzhembsky noted that Russia had never occupied the Baltics. The Red Army had entered the region in accordance with treaties between Moscow and bourgeois governments of the three Baltic countries.
When asked about the legitimacy of Latvian demands concerning the payment of $60 billion as compensation for Soviet "occupation", Yastrzhembsky noted that this was unrealistic and therefore unlawful. "Any occupation is out of the question," Yastrzhembsky stressed.
