MOSCOW, February 13. /TASS/. Moscow will not leave the promotion of anti-Russia rhetoric by Western countries in Africa unanswered, Vsevolod Tkachenko, head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Africa Department, said in an interview with TASS.

He stressed that Russia takes forums, instruments and mechanisms that Western states and African countries create amicably for ensuring their ties, in stride. In this respect, the Italy-Africa summit that took place on January 28-29 in Rome, was no exception, the diplomat noted. "However, if Western countries use such events to force restrictions on development of ties with Russia on their African partners and promote anti-Russia rhetoric this does not remain without a proper response," he added.

"We are far from a baselessly negative attitude to relations between Africa and the West as such as this would mean we come to resemble our opponents," Tkachenko said.