BISHKEK. Sept 7 (Interfax) - The crisis in relations between Russia and NATO is far from its resolution and poses the risk of further escalation, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Thursday.
"The military-political situation in the world continues to deteriorate. The conflict potential that was accumulated and was not curbed timely, including the conflict potential between nuclear powers, has already led to an extremely acute crisis in the Euro-Atlantic space," Ryabkov said at a workshop on strengthening the nuclear nonproliferation regime, in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek.
This crisis "threatens to escalate into an open military confrontation in the Asia-Pacific region," he said.
"Having trampled upon the principle of equal and indivisible security, the NATO countries placed their bet on an unceasing malicious expansion process and an energetic military and geopolitical exploration of territories right in the zone of Russia's vital interests," Ryabkov said.
"The measures that had to be taken [by Russia] in response, which also included the aspect of defending its own security perimeter in the western sector, were used by our adversaries as an excuse for switching to overt pressure by force on Russia," he said.
"Today this pressure is dangerously balancing on the verge of a direct armed conflict between nuclear powers," he said.
"At the same time, the ongoing crisis is far from its resolution and poses very serious risks of further escalation," Ryabkov said.