Moscow says British Foreign Minister’s statements are unacceptable

By Tatia Megeneishvili

Friday, April 1

British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond stated that the UK and Russia have the same enemy in the form of the Islamic State.

Philip Hammond and the Georgian Prime Minister held a joint press-conference on March 30.

Moscow responded to British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond’s statement, in which he said that that Russia represents a “threat”, and dubbed it unacceptable.

According to Russian media, the statement was released by the Russian Embassy in the United Kingdom (UK).

"We cannot accept the assertion that the Russian international system of norms and rules ignores the existing rules of the international system. If we talk about the behavior and breaking the norms of international law in Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen, this will clearly show who in fact violates the international relations system," reads the statement of the Russian Embassy.

A day earlier, Hammond made a statement in Tbilisi concerning Russia’s international activities while meeting with the Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili.

Hammond made his statement while talking about Georgia’s occupied regions, saying that Russia ignores the norms and rules of the international system, which is both a threat and a challenge.

“Russia ignores the norms of international conduct and breaks the rules of the international system. That represents a challenge and a threat to all of us. There has to be a way that respects the rules of the international system if we are going to be able to do business together,” stated Hammond.

According to Hammond, it is time for Russia to play a constructive role on the world stage and follow the rules, accusing it of aggression in Ukraine, but noting the common goal between Britain and Russia of fighting the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) in Syria and Iraq.

“I have no doubt that Russia is sincere in its desire to defeat Daesh (the Arabic name for IS) in Iraq and Syria. But we need to work together on these things and we can only work in partnership with countries which accept the international rules by which we all have to live. We can't be working in partnership with a country one day and find that it is doing just exactly whatever it wants,” stated Hammond.