MOSCOW, April 23. /TASS/. Russia and the Council of Europe are doing the best they can to overcome the obstacles in bilateral relations that have emerged in recent years, Deputy Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s European Cooperation Department Ilya Subbotin said on Monday.

"Both Russia and the Council of Europe maintain interest in overcoming the crisis we are currently mired in," he noted kicking off a refresher course at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO University).

"From a political perspective, relations between Russia and the Council of Europe are probably going through its rockiest period in the 20 years of our membership in that organization. Both the Russian Foreign Ministry and Council of Europe’s top officials are doing the best they can to surmount these obstacles."

Stepan Kuzmenkov, Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department for Humanitarian Cooperation and Human Rights, was likewise hopeful that it would be possible to overcome disagreements between Russia and the Council of Europe.

"I am certain we will be able to surmount all difficulties through close permanent dialogue with the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe," he stressed.