MOSCOW. Nov 15 (Interfax) - Moscow has denied allegations that it has promised military interference in a hypothetical conflict over a group of islands in the Caribbean.
"Based on an analysis of the situation made by the Russian Ministry of Defense, we can confidently state that the interpretation of statements by any Russian naval officers as a declaration of readiness on the part of Russian navy ships to support one of the parties in the event of a hypothetical territorial conflict over a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea fails to reflect the true state of affairs or the position of the political and military leadership of Russia," Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on its website, www.mid.ru.
The reason for its statement were "publications and judgments in Colombia misrepresenting the character of cooperation between Russia, on the one hand, and Colombia and nearby countries, on the other," the ministry said.
"We put high value on friendly Russian-Colombian relations, which have passed the tests of time. They are marked by a constructive dialogue, mutually beneficial trade and economic ties, diverse scientific, educational and cultural exchanges, and human contacts. They are the shared wealth of our countries, and we value them," it said.
"We firmly adhere to the point of view that our cooperation with Latin American states, including in the armaments sphere, is neither directed against anyone nor a factor of changing the regional military and political balance. Russia's interaction with countries in the region is invariably marked by a constructive spirit based on mutual respect, on the recognition of the immutability of international legal standards, and on the determination to use dialogue and diplomacy as the sole means of seeking solutions," the ministry said.
"This fully applies to the decision of the International Court on this territorial issue," it said.
"Russia is not a party to this dispute, and is not entitled to make judgments about the character of the verdict. We put high value on the contributions of the International Court to the peaceful settlement of disputes and to the development of international law, and believe that it should play a more powerful role," the ministry said.
"In view of the above, we are sure that nobody will be able to sow mistrust, whether for domestic political or other reasons, in the feelings of openness, friendship and mutual understanding that are a feature of the sustained development of Russian-Colombian relations," it said.