MOSCOW, May 10. /TASS/. Moscow is ready to search for ‘generally acceptable approaches’ together with its Western partners, including Germany. However, the prospects for cooperation continue to be marred by the situation that emerged through no fault of Russia, top Russian diplomat Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday opening talks with his German counterpart Heiko Maas.

"We are ready to look for generally acceptable approaches with our German and Western partners even under the current situation, which we find utterly unsatisfactory, that has been created through no fault of ours. It continues to cast a shadow over any prospects for cooperation both in Europe and on the global stage as a whole," he stressed.

"We count on cooperation on a whole range of issues in our bilateral relations, on international affairs precisely as far as Germany is willing to go," he noted. "Russian-German ties constitute a relationship between the two leading powers on the European continent. Europe’s situations have always depended on their state of affairs."

"When hard times struck these relations, the entire continent was affected. On the contrary, when Russia and Germany were able to come to terms with each other that was beneficial for all Europeans," Lavrov stressed.

Russia’s top diplomat recalled that "the historic reconciliation between our two peoples, which took place, in a very large measure, thanks to our country’s active support for German unification, was of paramount importance for Europe’s destiny." "It was hoped that this would be followed by a genuine unification of Europe, that the common European home based on equal and indivisible security will be built," Lavrov went on to say. "Unfortunately, this did not happen, but we do bear in mind that strategic objective."

"I look forward to a frank conversation. I appreciate the fact that you [Maas] decided to come [here] for a direct discussion shortly after your appointment. That is always much more useful than microphone diplomacy," he concluded.