BERLIN, September 4. /TASS/. German media outlet Deutsche Welle (DW) is ready for dialogue with the Russian State Duma Commission on Foreign Interference in Russia’s Internal Affairs, however, first, it needs to establish the conditions of such dialogue, DW Director General Peter Limbourg said, quoted by the DW press service at the request of TASS.
"We are always ready for dialogue, and we have invited [head of the commission Vasily] Pisarev [to Bonn or Berlin], however, first we need to agree on framework conditions of the dialogue," Limbourg said. According to him, inviting a DW representative to the commission’s session "is not the right way to exchange opinions."
"The threat of losing accreditation shows the nature of such an invitation. We are an independent social and legal media house, and we shall not be blackmailed," Limbourg stressed. "Although, we have always explained that we have not been meddling in Russia’s affairs, and we are not planning to do so in the future," he said. "To the same extent, we have never urged anyone to take part in demonstrations through a tweet, we just quoted the organizer. This is so obvious that we cannot understand the fuss," Limbourg continued. "Accusing us of breaking Russian laws is absolutely absurd."
Head of the commission Vasily Piskarev told reporters on Wednesday that they plan to invite DW Moscow bureau representatives to one of its sessions. "Is Deutsche Welle planning to work in Russia in the future? Do they plan to adhere to our laws? These questions remain unresolved to us," he stated. Piskarev did not rule out the possibility of contacting German MPs in order to resolve the issue.
Earlier, Deutche Welle stated its refusal to attend the sessions of the Russian State Duma commission. Head of Deutsche Welle’s general management invited Piskarev to Bonn or Berlin "to discuss the issue in more detail."
Russia’s Foreign Ministry earlier summoned Beate Grzeski, the charge d’affaires at the German Embassy in Moscow, to emphasize that Deutsche Welle’s calls on Moscow residents to take to the streets in unauthorized rallies were unacceptable. The ministry also reprimanded a US diplomat for publishing information about the August 3 unauthorized rally on the embassy’s website.