MOSCOW. Feb 11 (Interfax) - Russia should be pursuing a deterrence policy towards the United States in order to prevent attempts at interfering in Russian internal affairs, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.
"The United States should become the object of the deterrence policy of our country, in particular, for the purpose of preventing their aggressive interference, any kind of interference in our internal affairs," Ryabkov said at a press conference, adding that this is a question of military deterrence, "which is largely helped by arms control if the latter is organized in the correct manner."
"Meanwhile, our dialogue should continue on a reasonable and calm basis to address the issues significant to us. This is what we will be doing," the senior Russian diplomat said.
Moscow "categorically disagrees with the ongoing cynical attempts of the United States to interfere in our internal affairs," he said.
"What is more, these attempts are being denied by the people who are actually making them and formulating and conducting this kind of policy," the deputy minister said.
This is quite a peculiar situation, and Russia will draw relevant conclusions from it, Ryabkov said.
As to whether this situation may have an impact on the Russian-U.S. strategic dialogue, Ryabkov said, this kind of dialogue is not airtight, "this is just one element of our bilateral relations."
"However, we will demonstrate the utmost degree of responsibility in the efforts towards putting our interaction with the United States on a multinational track or, using the expression about apples and oranges, in further keeping them apart," he said.