MOSCOW, April 06, 16:49 /ITAR-TASS/. The West is widely using the practice of exerting pressure on some African and Asian countries in voting at the United Nation General Assembly, Russia’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations Organization, Vitaly Churkin, said on Sunday.

“For instance, when the General Assembly was voting on the notorious draft resolution [on the situation in Crimea - Itar-Tass],” he said in an interview with the NTV television channel. “We know that our Western partners used their routine practice, when they addressed to these or those countries, say, African or Asian. They put it quite straight: we are providing economic aid to you. You enjoy these or those preferences in relations with us, so you must vote in favour of this resolution.” “We never use such methods,” he stressed.

The Russian diplomat noted however that no such steps had been made in his own respect because it was absolutely pointless. “They know me only too well here to try to make such risky steps as exerting personal pressure on me,” Churkin said. He also commented on the alleged conflict with the United States’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations Samantha Power. “I do not even remember what she had said to me because we have rather frequent contacts,” Churkin noted. “But one thing is for sure - it was not an aggressive or an insulting slur against Russia or against myself.” “Power herself was astonished to see that her posture had been regarded as aggressive and said she had to do something to refine herself,” Churkin said. “After that, she refrained from approaching me in the presence of cameras.

 “It is not a cold war”

Tensions in the relations between Russia and the West following Crimea’s reunification with Russia will not last long, Churkin said. “Of course, it is not a cold war,” he said. “However, it is probably a certain chill in our relations with the West. At least, it looks like this from New York, from the United Nations building”, diplomat added. “I don’t think this chill will be historically long,” Churkin stressed.

According to the Russian ambassador, the anti-Russian rhetoric Moscow’s Western partners are practicing “hides their confusion, their disappointment, to put it mildly, at what has happened as a result of their rash actions in Ukraine.” He noted that the recognition of Crimea’s new status by the world community was a matter of time and required no additional efforts from Moscow. “This is a new geopolitical fact,” Churkin said. “Crime has become a part of Russia. So, I think no active campaign is needed, since the overwhelming majority of countries recognize Crimea’s reunification with Russia either de jure or de facto. Some are protesting vehemently but, in general, this is a satiation that needs some time to be stabilized. I think it should be taken rather calmly.