MOSCOW. March 29 (Interfax) - The statement of U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton about foreign military forces in Venezuela causes confusion; Russia will not heed shouting of any third countries, Federation Council Foreign Affairs Committee Deputy Chairman Vladimir Dzhabarov told Interfax on Friday.
"Russia has certain contracts, including in the military sphere. It is performing these contracts, without violating any international laws. So there is no point in making threats against Russia with such statements. Russia's policy must be independent and this is the way it is now, and we won't heed any shouting of third countries," Dzhabarov said.
This is how he commented on Friday's statement of Bolton, who criticized Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro's actions which Bolton believes are aimed to stay in power by way of securing assistance from foreign, particularly Russian, military forces.
"The [U.S.] Administration condemns Nicolas Maduro's continued use of foreign military personnel in his attempt to remain in power, including the introduction of Russian military personnel and equipment into Venezuela," Bolton earlier said in the statement published by U.S. media.
Bolton warned that the U.S. will consider such actions as a direct threat to international peace and regional security.
"We strongly caution actors external to the Western Hemisphere against deploying military assets to Venezuela, or elsewhere in the Hemisphere, with the intent of establishing or expanding military operations. We will consider such provocative actions as a direct threat to international peace and security in the region," Bolton said.
Dzhabarov went on to emphasize that "such statements are puzzling since Venezuela is not the 51st U.S. state."
"Russia does not pose a threat to anyone at all. Our president always says that. Russia is an absolutely peace-loving power, and we always emphasize it. Crucially, nobody is bothering us," he said.
Such reproaches on the part of the U.S. are baseless, he added, since "the U.S. itself deploys military bases and leaves arms in other countries, for example in Asia."
"If any country wants some weaponry placed [in it], and Russia finds it to be reasonable and to its own benefit, why on earth a third country should decide whether it is possible or not? In what capacity? Why a third country may act as an arbitrator in a situation like this? I don't understand," Dzhabarov said.