BRUSSELS. May 13 (Interfax) - Spy mania is a worn-out, dead-boring technique used by certain media outlets, Russia's Ambassador to NATO Alexander Grushko told Interfax in Brussels on Tuesday.
He was commenting on several western media reports that the alliance was downsizing the Russian delegation following the allegations that dozens of spies work at its office. In particular, in its report on the subject the British tabloid Daily Mail cited a diplomat from a NATO member state.
"It is difficult to comment on the irresistible desire to 'headcount' the Russian delegation and attempts to draw 'political conclusions' from this bookkeeping," Grushko said.
"But if we try to investigate the situation professionally, the whole problem must be formulated completely differently. In particular, it would be no harm to ponder how NATO's recommendations to cut staff numbers for the accredited missions match with its leaders' claims of importance of cooperating with partners and their keenness to maintain political dialogue, as well as military contact with Russia," the high-ranking Russian diplomat stressed.