ANTALYA, March 2. /TASS/. Russia will react individually in each specific case of confiscation of its assets in the West, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference following the Antalya Diplomatic Forum.
"We will act in a symmetrical way, in each specific case. There are already examples in both the USA and Europe when the property of companies and the private property of our individuals were confiscated. This is all very personal. We will look at each specific case," the foreign minister noted in response to a question about retaliatory measures to the possible confiscation of seized Russian assets in the West.
Lavrov specified that the discussed option of confiscating only proceeds from Russian assets seized in the West, if implemented, would still be theft.
"They [the West] are coming up with various modifications of theft, to be honest. They say: let’s not touch these billions, but they (this money - TASS) are moving around, we are turning them over in Western banks. Now, we have seized them, but we are turning them over, they bring proceeds, and these proceeds - it is we who are turning them over, not Russia - let’s take them. But it’s still theft. This is clear," the minister summed up.
The West should think seriously before once again crossing out the principle of the inviolability of property, Lavrov said commenting on discussions in the West on the possible confiscation of seized Russian assets.
"I think that our Western colleagues should think very seriously before once again crossing out this principle of theirs - the principle of inviolability of property," the minister noted.