BRUSSELS, September 11. /TASS/. Russia, interested in settling the migration crisis that is threatening to destabilize the European Union, suggests that the EU should launch a "motivated dialogue" on migration, Russia’s Permanent Representative at the European Union Vladimir Chizhov told TASS on Friday.
"Russia cannot but watch this situation, cannot but be concerned with this situation as it leads to destabilization of the situation in EU countries, which is not in the least in Russia’s interests," Chizhov said.
"We are not rubbing our hands over this, not by any means," Chizhov went on to say. "Otherwise, we offer a motivated dialogue to the EU. Due to its geographical location and historic experience, Russia knows, not by hearsay, about migration-related problems, and in the all three dimensions — as the country of exodus, transit and arrival of migrants."
"We have long viewed illegal migration as new challenges of the 21st century," the Russian envoy said. "However, now the discourse has been shifted in Europe. The notion of illegal migration has been vanishing rather quickly, replaced by the term ‘refugees’."
"Thus, [EU foreign policy chief] Federica Mogherini summing up the unsuccessful discussion of the issue at the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg on September 4-5 said it was necessary to separate economic migrants from refugees. I can just wish success to the European Union in this work as the mission is hardly possible. Just try to tell refugees who have no documents from economic migrants who have no documents," Chizhov said in conclusion.