Russia summons US, UK, Canadian ambassadors over remarks on court verdict

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday separately summoned the ambassadors of Canada, the US and UK over "gross interference" in Moscow's affairs and activities "not corresponding with diplomatic status."

The ministry said the envoys were conveyed a strong protest in connection with "unacceptable and provocative statements" about the ruling of a Moscow court, which sentenced opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison for high treason and spreading fake news about the Russian army.

In a joint appearance outside the court on Monday, the Western diplomats had condemned the verdict against Kara-Murza and called for his release.

Canadian envoy Alison LeClaire was told that a "frenzied Russophobic campaign" launched by Ottawa, as well as the announcement of "regime change in Russia" as the strategic goal of Canadian foreign policy, constitute direct interference in the country's internal affairs.

"The ambassador was pointed out at the inevitable negative consequences in the event of the continuation of the current confrontational course of the regime of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for bilateral relations and for employees of the Canadian Embassy in Moscow, abusing their diplomatic status," it noted.

The ministry said UK ambassador Deborah Bronnert was also communicated a "strong protest" in connection with calls of the British diplomats to cancel the verdict on Kara-Murza.

"Such disrespectful behavior indicates a clear violation by London of the fundamental principles of diplomatic communication enshrined in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, and goes against the status of the British diplomatic mission in Moscow," it stressed.

To London's claims that Kara-Murza also has UK citizenship, the ministry said that due to the country's legislation, Russians, having dual citizenship, are considered as only Russian citizens if it is not stipulated otherwise by an international treaty or federal law.

As Russia and the UK have no agreements regarding people with Russian-British citizenship, the references to Kara-Murza's British citizenship are legally null and void, it said.

"It was emphasized that we consider the attempts of British officials to teach Russia about human rights issues to be absolutely unacceptable, especially since London's cynical and dismissive attitude to the human rights, well known in the world community," the ministry emphasized.

To US ambassador Lynn Tracy the ministry told that public calls aimed at putting pressure on the authorities and the court constitute "blatant interference in the internal affairs of the Russian Federation."

"Considering the shameless suppression of dissent in the US itself, attempts to shield (US) agent of influence (Vladimir Kara-Murza), supervised by Washington and other Western capitals look hypocritical and ridiculous," it said.

The ministry warned that "any steps by the American side aimed at inciting discord and enmity in Russian society, as well as the use of the diplomatic mission to cover up subversive work, will be severely suppressed."​​​​​​​

"Employees of the US Embassy who violate the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and abuse their status will end their stay in Moscow ahead of schedule," it added.