ATHENS. Oct 21 (Interfax) - Russia stands ready for dialogue and for negotiations with NATO if a signal to this effect is received from the alliance, Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said.
"We've dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's. At the same time, if NATO displays real interest, if there is a roadmap outlining avenues where they're ready to cooperate with Russia, and if there's a sincere desire to interact, we're ready. If such a signal is received, we'll hold talks," Matviyenko told reporters on Thursday.
Russia has taken measures in response, suspending the operations of its mission to NATO and the alliance's Military Liaison Mission to Moscow, as well as NATO's Information Office in Moscow, she said.
"It wasn't us who started this. These are response measures. How long can one create the illusion, imitation of cooperation between Russia and NATO? In actual fact, such cooperation ceased many years ago. And there was no desire to have this cooperation, either," Matviyenko said.
Russia could not avoid reacting to NATO's unfriendly move, when the alliance revoked the accreditation of several employees of Russia's mission to NATO, she said.
"Let's face it: there is no cooperation, there is no such desire. NATO does not consult us even in situations in which it is supposed to," Matviyenko said.
"We don't play such imitation games, where we're in a humiliating position and sort of present, but have no real influence," she said.