MOSCOW, August 23./TASS/. Tensions in relations between Russia and the US are far from being similar to those during the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the Soviet Union and the US were on the brink of a nuclear war, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the Hungarian newspaper Magyar Nemzet published on Monday.
"I don’t think that historical parallels of this kind are appropriate. The current military and political situation in the world does bear similarity to the Cold War period, but there are also big, fundamental differences. One way or another, but we are now far from the lowest point in the Soviet-American confrontation in the form of the 1962 ‘Caribbean crisis’, when we found ourselves literally on the brink of a nuclear war," the top diplomat said in the interview.
However, contradictions between the main global players should not be ignored, Lavrov said, adding that they "regretfully, continue to deepen". "The policy of Washington to restrain the development of Russia and China became one of the reasons behind that. Part of this policy is a unilateral dismantlement of the system of agreements in the sphere of arms control, the buildup of the US force potentials in the European and Pacific theater of operations," he explained.
Cooperation on the cybersecurity track
Moscow and Washington must begin joint work to establish systemic cooperation on the cybersecurity track, Lavrov said.
"I would also designate among the encouraging factors the kick-off meeting within the framework of the Russian-American dialogue on strategic stability, held by the decision of the leaders in Geneva on July 28," the top Russian diplomat said. "Also, joint work must be started in the sphere of cybersecurity, aimed at establishing systemic cooperation in addressing common challenges. The Russian president clearly defined, including publicly, that the result is possible along all trajectories - but only through negotiations and through working out a balance of interests that would suit both sides," he added.
Moscow remains realistic and understands "that the road to de-escalation of tensions in very difficult," Lavrov stressed. "Unlike during the Cold War epoch, far from everything, although a lot on that track, depends on Russian-American agreements. Today, there are many more players and factors influencing the situation in the sphere of global security," he said.
The top diplomat also noted that as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Russia would continue to make its substantial contribution to maintaining global stability, pursuing a responsible, pragmatic and predictable foreign policy aimed at neutralizing threats and challenges to global security, as well as creating favorable conditions for a peaceful development of all nations.
Earlier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Moscow would like to maintain regular cybersecurity dialogue with Washington if there was a wide range of issues discussed.
"We would like to make it regular, if there is a broad agenda, and not just about attacks of some groups on a meat processing facility with the aim of getting a ransom for providing a key or removing a program," he said.
The deputy minister added that Moscow is documenting Washington’s desire to reduce these contacts to the issue of digital fraud.