MOSCOW. July 10 (Interfax) - Russia has certain reasons to reduce the level of its representation in NATO to a charge d'affaires, but at the same time, the G20 summit held in Hamburg gives moderate reason to hope for changing relations between Russia and the North Atlantic Alliance, State Duma defense committee first deputy chairman Andrei Krasov said.
"There are certain foundations for this," Krasov, a United Russia faction member, told Interfax on Monday, when asked about possible lowering of the level of Russia's representation in NATO.
This foundation may be "actions undertaken by this pseudo-defensive organization, in particular, for the deployment of missile defense systems in Eastern European countries," he said.
Russia's questions about "unloading of a heavy armored brigade at German ports, Eastern European countries and the issues of the global missile defense system in South Korea" remain unaddressed, the parliamentarian also said.
"If there is a dialogue, it implies that people hear each other and are listening to [each other], and in this case, it seems to me, that such a dialogue is impossible through the fault of North Atlantic organization's representatives, who leave our questions unanswered," Krasov said.
Probable lowering of Russia's representation "may make our colleagues think about and understand that it is necessary to talk to Russia, hear Russia, because we possess the whole host of weapons," Krasov said.
"The G20 summit ended optimistically and Russia will probably begin to be heard," the parliamentarian also said.
Moscow mulls the possibility of reducing the level of its representation in the North Atlantic Alliance to a charge d'affaires, the Izvestia newspaper reported earlier, referencing sources with the Russian Foreign Ministry. This may happen after incumbent Russian Permanent Representative to NATO Alexander Grushko leaves his position, the edition said. These measures are prompted by the fact that NATO is not set for a constructive dialogue.