MOSCOW. Aug 16 (Interfax) - New German Ambassador to Russia Alexander Graf Lambsdorff has presented copies of his credentials to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the ministry said in a statement.
"Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's State Protocol Department I.V. Bogdashev accepted copies of credentials from Ambassador-designate Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Russian Federation Alexander Graf Lambsdorff on August 16," the statement, published on the ministry's website, said.
During the meeting, the Russian side "emphasized the confrontational and unfriendly nature of German conduct in various areas of bilateral relations," the statement said.
The ministry stressed that German policy aimed to "dismantle mutually beneficial cooperation achieved over decades, break diverse trade and economic relations and direct humanitarian contacts, and hinder the normal operation of Russian diplomatic and consular institutions in Germany."
"Further relations with Germany will be maintained by Russia exclusively on the basis of its national interests, depending on Germany's readiness to take them into consideration," the statement said.