MOSCOW, December 15. /TASS/. Russia is ready for work on the improvement of relations with the United States without any hesitation, pauses or artificial delays, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told TASS on Thursday.
"I am absolutely positive that any US administration, whether it is the outgoing one or the future one, has on its virtual negotiations table our multiple reassurances that Russia is a constructive partner," Ryabkov said in an exclusive interview with TASS.
"We are ready without any hesitation, pauses or artificial delays to start work on the whole range of issues on the agenda of Moscow and Washington in the interests of improvement of our mutual ties," the diplomat said.
"We know Mr. Tillerson. Moreover, we know many other candidates who could have been nominated for this post," he said, commenting on the candidacy of next US Secretary of State. "It is absolutely normal. But what astonishes me in the present-day America is the fantastic reaction of shriveling, cringing at a mere mention that someone has ever had any contacts with Russians."
The Russian diplomat said he hopes that pragmatism "inherent to many nominees who are yet to be approved by the US Senate, to new members of the Trump team" will help them avoid "the absolutely incomprehensible insecurity bordering on persecution mania" while working with Russia.
"A long way must have been traveled to see people who have always boasted that their society is the most open and free and void of any blinkers and stereotypes, politicians personifying the heart of this society turn into horror film characters, vampires who are afraid of sunlight and crumble to dust when lit by the sun. It could be funny if it were not so sad," Ryabkov added.