"The USSR in such a diplomatic conflict with the United States did not give offense"

A diplomatic scandal continues between the United States and Russia, which could escalate into a diplomatic war. The recent searches of the American side in the Russian consulate in San Francisco have called the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation a "hellish clownery" as well as an "unprecedented, aggressive action." US charges denied, insisting on "arrangements."

At the same time, it becomes clear that this is a response from the United States to the “proposal to send” hundreds of American diplomatic staff from Russia, and it probably came as a pretty strong blow, on the basis that something was urgently burned at the consulate. Will our country be able to answer now? It was necessary to answer in 2016, but now the USSR’s experience will have to be repeated, the USSR people's deputy (1989-1991), ex-deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, retired Air Force Colonel Viktor Alksnis is sure. He told about this in a conversation with Nakanune.RU.

Question: Can this conflict grow into a diplomatic war, in your opinion?

Viktor Alksnis: Already, the situation has shifted from a diplomatic conflict to a situation of diplomatic war. It is sad to admit, but, in fact, we have unleashed this diplomatic war. This is due to the biggest mistake in our relations with the United States. As it is known, one of the most important principles of diplomacy is the principle of reciprocity, mirroring - if one country performs some actions that damage the other country, the other country takes mirror response measures.

But our leadership in this situation decided to abandon this principle and go its own way. As a result, the United States, in fact, beat us.

Question: When did this happen?

Victor Alksnis: This conflict could end as early as December last year if our side mirrored the expulsion of our diplomats in the number of 35 people and the arrest of our diplomatic property in the United States. But, expecting, apparently, that Donald Trump will soon be in power and that our countries will have excellent relations, the Kremlin decided to pretend that nothing serious had happened and not to respond in the same way.

But, unfortunately, the situation with Trump's arrival has not improved. And then our management decided to answer - but to answer not in the mirror, sending 35 diplomats and arresting several objects, and go the other way. It was decided to equalize the number of American diplomats. And this already goes beyond the principle of reciprocity. Americans know this very well - then they used this error.

It would seem fair - if there are some of our diplomats in the United States, then the United States should have the same number in our country. Then the United States requires - close one consulate and bring the number of consulates to the number of American ones. After all, they have three in Russia, and we have four consulates in America. And now we have nothing to answer.

Question: Are extreme measures possible - a break in diplomatic relations?

Viktor Alksnis: Breaking Diplomatic Relations? It is unlikely that this will go, and it is hardly necessary.

Question: Then what could be the answer?

Victor Alksnis: There is a way out of this situation, and it is quite serious - 1948’s experience must be repeated. Diplomatic conflicts occur constantly and in most cases end up with one side taking some action, the other side taking the same — the conflict is exhausted. But here the situation is completely different.

Our position is much more serious than that of the United States, in the sense that we have, in fact, no way to really answer this. To do this, one must show political will and respond in such a way that the Americans understand that further stirring up of this conflict will not lead to anything good.

In 1948, three years after the war, when our country was in a very difficult economic situation, half of the country was in ruins, we did not have a nuclear weapons at that time - nevertheless, the Soviet Union in a similar situation took rather tough measures.

In August of 1948, we began to reduce the number of our diplomatic staff in the United States, because relations were deteriorating every day, including because of the crisis in Berlin. And it was decided to reduce the number of our diplomats, to close the school at the US Embassy, ​​and to return teachers and schoolchildren back to the Soviet Union. It turned out that the director of this school and their family refused to return to the Soviet Union and appealed to the American authorities for political asylum.

At the same time, the school teacher Oksana Kasenkina disappeared. The Americans said that she allegedly also sought asylum in the United States, but at the same time her letter was received by the Soviet consulate, in which she wrote that she wanted to return home. It became known that this teacher was on the territory of a public organization that had been created by the White Guards, where refugees from the Soviet Union lived. Our consul went there, to this organization, managed to meet with her, she confirmed that she was there not against her will, that she was, in fact, kidnapped. Accordingly, she confirmed her desire to return to the territory of the Soviet Union.

They arrived on the territory of our consulate, an urgent press conference was held at which she was represented. There she confirmed that she wanted to return to the Soviet Union, her letter was shown. It would seem that the question was settled, but the United States went to a dramatic aggravation of the situation, it was stated that Soviet diplomats had abducted this teacher, the American court decided to question her at the court about whether she voluntarily wanted to return to the USSR.

And then something incomprehensible happened: according to our side, representatives of the American special services entered the consulate building and were simply taken away from there by force; according to the American side, she allegedly jumped from the third floor, wanted to escape. After that, the Americans accused our Consul General of having kidnapped a person in the United States and expelled him. There is a record in the memoirs of the then American ambassador to the USSR that at one o'clock the then foreign minister of the USSR, Molotov, summoned him, a very difficult conversation took place, during which Molotov accused the American side of rude political provocation.

Afterwards, he read out to him a note in which it is said that the Soviet government closes two consulates located in the USA — in New York and San Francisco (the one around which all the hype is now) —and demands from the American side to close the only consulate in the USSR in Vladivostok. Plus, the Soviet side breaks the agreement reached with the United States on opening another consulate in the United States in Leningrad. This is what happened. And before 1972, there was no consular relations between the United States and the Soviet Union. They were resumed only in the early 1970's. in the period of "discharge".

Question: So we should also end consular relations?

Victor Alksnis: Obviously, yes, we have no choice but to repeat our Soviet experience and stop consular relations. We need to officially declare the termination of the activities of our three consulates in the United States and to demand from the American side that all consulates in Russia be terminated. I don’t see any other way out of this situation, because if we go the other way, it will again be a violation of the principle of reciprocity, it will again be the US claims and some new measures.

And here the whole situation will be brought to its original position, that is, we close the consular relations, but we respond according to the principle of reciprocity.

Comments

[ilimnoz]

The USSR could close consulates, but oligarchs and officials would not allow Russia to do this. all their money and children with households live in the west. in fact, Russia does not have its own elite and not only it.

[Finches]

First, for today we need to understand, including experts, that comparing the USSR with Russia is not correct! Especially since the USSR after World War II, when, as Marshal Konev put it, we had an army "capable of storming the sky"! Therefore, a balanced foreign policy of GDP is correct - we need time to reach the same level with the Western powers. Secondly, all this American fuss is, in fact, a sign that they themselves do not know what they should do with Russia now! They still lived in a world of illusions, as under Yeltsin, saying their own manual prez, but they were told in Munich in 2007, guys, don’t hound! They did not hear this and fell into the trap of their own megalomania ... Therefore, I repeat, the GDP is right, not exacerbating events, but simply throwing a problem after a problem at the Americans! Crimea, Donbass, Syria, and their own different position on the DPRK, plus it worked well with the Turks, the leading European power in the army plan in NATO, good relations with China and India ... The Americans lost their strategic initiative, so they beat dishes from the kitchen despair!

[Ingvar 72]

Quote: Finches

we had an army "capable of storming the sky"!

But there was no nuclear weapons. And now we have it, and this is a very vigorous argument.

Quote: Finches

The Americans lost their strategic initiative, so they beat dishes in the kitchen from despair!

And we are wiping ourselves away from the spray of scraps from this dish!
The author is right - you need to answer in the style of the 48th year. If you are slapped in the face (not a woman), then for some reason I’m sure that you will answer with your fist.

[Monster_Fat]

The so-called “diplomatic corps * in Russia is still that“ serpentarium. ”There, as elsewhere in the Russian authorities, their own rules have developed and operate:“ nishtyachki, ”“ thieves, ”“ sinekura, ”etc. dusty work in“ clean ” "," equipped "countries is for the" chosen "relatives and friends, for everyone else, a" paycheck "is somewhere in a" hell "like Syria or Zimbabwe. To close consulates in the USA is to deprive" nishtyaks "and "Sinecure" a large number of "chosen", do you think they want it? Now, probably already, they have put in place all the available levers of influence on the supreme power of Russia to prevent a radical solution to this diplomatic conflict ....

[Sotskiy]

Quote: Monster_Fat

Now, probably, they have put into action all the available levers of influence on the supreme power of Russia in order to prevent a radical solution to this diplomatic conflict ....

The tail wags the dog or reigning but not right?

[SPACE]

Quote: Finches

First

One of the sober and correct understanding of reality and even a little was fed up with the prolonged hysterical cries of nutritious idiots of all stripes: "wiped off, give in the face, money and children over the hill", these defective degraders don’t bear only paranoid garbage, how many polymers have been laid over since the crisis in Ukraine and Syria, buried ten times. Yesterday, Putin and the oligarchs have their industry, the army, Russia collapses every year, and today, according to their well-groomed logic, a ruined Russia must answer, and I would like to ask what and if? These cretiks would decide at the end of something, either remove the cross or put on their underpants. Db

[34 region]

08.06/XNUMX. Space! What !? Are people wrong? If people are wrong and Russia rules, then why are such excesses taking place? If people are wrong, why do conditions set for us, and not we set conditions? If the right people are at the helm, why haven’t we surpassed Western economies? Where are the underpants and where is the cross? What can be called cowards, and what is a cross?

[vlad_vlad]

If the right people are at the helm, why haven’t we surpassed Western economies?

Brzezinski is credited with the phrase:
“if the Russian elite keeps its billions in our banks, then it’s not clear whose elite it is”

[stas-xnumx]

Yes, for this "time" we are kicked under the bench ...

[aybolyt678]

Quote: Finches

we need time to get on the same level with the western powers

with the speed with which our economic slowdown is slowing down, we will quickly catch up with the West

[cyberhanter]

in general, with Tatya it is clearly shown that the principle of reciprocity is violated, so that the policy is already WRONG. the question is what to do next. We have already made a mistake and we need to somehow smooth out the situation. Any other suggestions? Wellcome. The fact that the article, although extremely unpleasant for us, is the most adequate, which I saw.

[Olaf Uksimae]

Let's not stop the flight of thought, but if:: let's analyze, Alexander would throw 1 glove in the face of villains, or maybe

Ivan the Terrible would have hung the ambassador on a rack, or maybe Gorbachev, so as not to escalate the non-constructiveness, WOULD come to a consensus to transfer Foros to jurisdiction

US Foreign Ministry

[Uncle lee]

Quote: ilimnoz

money and children with households live in the west.

And the state keeps decent amounts in the country of "partners"!

[vladimirZ]

Yes, in the USSR, state leaders did not keep their savings and capital in the West, in the USA, their families did not live there with households, as they are now in Russia, and therefore they were personally independent.
And now the ruling "elite" is completely personally dependent on the West, where their fundamental, "overwork" acquired interests are.
And what do you want from them? To step on your own "Faberge"? Yes, this will not happen.

[stas-xnumx]

I absolutely agree, and the GDP knows that ...

[Knowing]

And cho to crush water in a mortar, but ... Times are different, the reality is not the same: there are a lot of assumptions diametrically opposite, but one thing is clear - the answer will be in any way and as always unpleasantly will surprise those "beyond the puddle".

[kepmor]

we’re knocking, we’ll knock ... we knock with our fists ... we sprinkle with saliva ... we twitch our legs ... And ... we will calm down ...
of their children we invite dances to drive ... yes, we continue to worry every time ... the loot and real estate of our "oh elite" where ???????? ....

[ilimnoz]

Quote: Finches

First, for today we need to understand, including experts, that comparing the USSR with Russia is not correct! Especially since the USSR after World War II, when, as Marshal Konev put it, we had an army "capable of storming the sky"! Therefore, a balanced foreign policy of GDP is correct - we need time to reach the same level with the Western powers. Secondly, all this American fuss is, in fact, a sign that they themselves do not know what they should do with Russia now! They still lived in a world of illusions, as under Yeltsin, saying their own manual prez, but they were told in Munich in 2007, guys, don’t hound! They did not hear this and fell into the trap of their own megalomania ... Therefore, I repeat, the GDP is right, not exacerbating events, but simply throwing a problem after a problem at the Americans! Crimea, Donbass, Syria, and their own different position on the DPRK, plus it worked well with the Turks, the leading European power in the army plan in NATO, good relations with China and India ... The Americans lost their strategic initiative, so they beat dishes from the kitchen despair!

I do not correctly agree to compare the USSR and Russia. but Americans are more likely to throw problems, and if you remove the information hype, then their real actions are quite pragmatic and tough.

[lance]

Well, if they wrote that, then specifically what is pragmatism? that besides external noise and window dress who is the boss in the us, is it too late to talk about the world? we can answer absolutely adequately, but who will win by closing the consulates? In this case, not Russia. to reduce their service by 155 people with the seizure of property by the amount seized (or in proportion) is the answer of a worthy equal partner.

[ilimnoz]

pragmatics? the pragmatist is that the Americans make moves and Russia has to make excuses for its return move. and the answer has to be given inadequate and the further the less the field for maneuvers and the more inadequate an answer is needed. and in the case of normal deep relations, they would only exchange slaps in the face and stay in their original positions.

[lance]

starting with Obama, the United States is precisely striving for a complete breakdown in relations. Well, the consulate was closed at our request, then what? - what is the answer to today's realities? We live in 2017, not 1948. Now we can show how hysterical and powerless the United States is in matters of diplomacy in their exceptional theory. what we will have when closing consulates. to write telegrams? stupidity. diplomacy serves to show the world its worldview and strength, and what will we achieve by closing the consulates? how will cube wait for better times? or start to shoot missiles like that?

[ilimnoz]

Perhaps you are right and I am behind the times. and would also like to know the closure of the consulate means the recall of the ambassador or not.

[AUL]

Consulate and embassy - services are different functionally. The consulate is more concerned with the "household" issues of our citizens abroad, and the embassy represents the political interests of the country. So this does not provide for the recall of the ambassador.
By the way, why closed the comments on the post "Israel is preparing an invasion of Syria?"

[ilimnoz]

thanks for the info

[aybolyt678]

Quote: Lance

and what will we achieve by closing the consulate

and what do we have with open consulates? I was on their site, an American-looking, "Russian" employees and employees with full faces, expensive hairstyles what should they do there? I don’t think they love Russia from there. Business is expensive and will find by phone. And what should diplomats do here? to sponsor and advise foreign agents and Bulk?

Quote: Lance

starting with Obama, the United States is striving for a complete breakdown of relations

as well as the United States, great masters of fake - give the impression that they want a complete break in diplomatic relations with Russia or that they want to help Ukraine, or democracy in Yugoslavia ....

[seos]

You can’t answer, they demonstrated that international laws and rights no longer work ..... The country has been hunchbacked for 30 years and keeps all its savings in the USA, these 100 billion bucks are hostages. The loss of 30 years of the country's existence, the looting of its resources - this is suicide ... Moreover, the government does not even twitch ... traitors still rule us and manage our money.
You just have to admit that we are in a deep ass and start trying to crawl out of it .... But liberoids will not let us do it ...

[antivirus]

Alla Pugacheva and once Philip K had real estate in Florida.
Until such people publicly express their opinion, the authorities will wait for the team
LAVED, LAVED, YES DON'T LOVE

[Pancir026]

Quote: antivirus

Alla Pugacheva and once Philip K had real estate in Florida.
Until such people publicly express their opinion, the authorities will wait for the team

We have power under the control of the clowns ??? This Pugacheva commands Putin. Shoigu and the country in general?
Or are the jesters terrified now? Understandable. The power of jesters tends to zero, and with it the imaginary greatness of the dancing buffoonery?

[aybolyt678]

Quote: Pancir026

We have power under the control of the clowns ??? This Pugacheva commands Putin. Shoigu and the country in general?

these jesters cultivate consumerism (the term from Wikipedia, you can check) The authorities can no longer forbid people to relax in Turkey, have sex in Thailand .... Power has lost power

[AUL]

these 100 billion bucks are hostages. The loss of 30 years of the country's existence, the looting of its resources - this is suicide ...

These 100 billion bucks for the country are already lost. They will never be invested in the development of our country. Their owners will invest loot in foreign enterprises, develop their economy. So because of these billions, suicide has already been spilled!

[Akuzenka]

Those. spoiled? You're not right. This money is an ordinary tribute of our country to the west. Did you just find out about this ?! They have long been gone.

[Gradus HuK]

seos Today, 10:45 It’s bad that we are in deep .ope. Even worse, we are used to it and are starting to get comfortable!

[Locksmith]

Transfer all American consulates to Moscow and limit the movement of diplomats to a radius of 15 km and all the short life. It will be fun .

[captain]

Dear author! "The words of the Russian emperor (1881 - 1894) Alexander III Peacemaker (1845-1894), referring to the Western powers without the usual reverence for his predecessors, believing that all the politics of these countries comes down to using Russia in their interests.
Once, when Alexander Alexandrovich was in his suburban residence, he was informed that foreign ambassadors were awaiting an audience in St. Petersburg (an unintended audience). To which he, wishing to emphasize Russia's weight in world affairs, said: When the Russian tsar is fishing, Europe can wait. "Under the USSR, this was not allowed to, even Stalin.

[Akuzenka]

This is just a political tale. There is also about buckwheat, also funny.

[uskrabut]

Quote: captain

foreign ambassadors are awaiting an audience (non-intended audience)

Who are the ambassadors compared to the Emperor, they must wait, they have such a job.

[eskanderRUS]

Alksnis is right, the decision of the GDP to play softly and politically led to an error. In diplomacy, it is difficult to correct strategic mistakes. It is foolish to get something like turning a cheek under a striped rake.

[ADmA_RUS]

The war is not over yet, but we have already lost. The author is beautiful.

[Antianglosax]

I think that the expulsion of 755 "diplomats" for the USG was such a blow that they still cannot recover from surprise and impotent anger. With whom and with what will they meet the election of our president? This is not just a powerful blow, it is the collapse of all strategy and tactics. But then you need to completely mirror. The proposal to completely reduce the consulates is constructive, it benefits us more.
As for the oligarchs and bureaucrats - let them die, the situation is not right, they can also get a turnip.

[lance]

You can not doubt the bureaucrats and the oligarchs will not lose. what is the difference to them to issue visas in the russian federation or in the baltic? etc. on business trips I know how easily visas can be extended in England. but the communication of diplomats in the field will be interrupted, for meetings they will begin to negotiate and travel to third countries. this is better?

[aybolyt678]

Quote: Lance

for meetings will start to negotiate and travel to third countries. this is better?

if you wish, you can agree on skype, but there is no need to have a hotbed of spies in the country

[atakan]

the expulsion of 755 "diplomats" for the united states was such a blow

The USA reported that yes, they sent all
Here are just checking the number of banned.
It is estimated that the number of United States (diplomatic representatives) in Russia is now up to 1200 pieces.

[Antonio_Mariarti]

Quote: vladimirZ

Yes, in the USSR, state leaders did not keep their savings and capital in the West, in the USA, their families did not live there with households, as they are now in Russia, and therefore they were personally independent.
And now the ruling "elite" is completely personally dependent on the West, where their fundamental, "overwork" acquired interests are.
And what do you want from them? To step on your own "Faberge"? Yes, this will not happen.

But this did not stop them from selling to the US elites for money. Mb, that they had no money and served as their betrayal?

[seos]

The Soviet Union was an independent state with an independent economy, all the money was kept in their homeland ...
Compare with what we have at the moment. I admit absolutely not sure that we will retaliate in the event of a nuclear strike against us. Do you think this elite will kill its children living in the US and Europe and will destroy banks where it stores its savings?

[iouris]

The weak are not only beaten, but also humiliated. This story has nothing to do with diplomacy.

[uporov65]

The article is not correct. The author of the article finally puts Russia in the position of zugzwang (compulsion to move). Our move should be extremely extraordinary, confounding Western analysts.

[ilimnoz]

the Foreign Ministry’s moves should be transparent and understandable if the country is sovereign then mirrored if not, then it’s possible to wipe silently and like we don’t see anything humiliating. but the moves of the General Staff should confuse the enemy. it is extraordinary moves that lead to zugzwang.

[aybolyt678]

if a dog bites you, then you need to bite it in a mirror

[Sige]

Putin does not reach Stalin ...
... and Lavrov is not Molotov ...

[Radikal]

Quote: SPACE

Quote: Finches

First

One of the sober and correct understanding of reality and even a little was fed up with the prolonged hysterical cries of nutritious idiots of all stripes: "wiped off, give in the face, money and children over the hill", these defective degraders don’t bear only paranoid garbage, how many polymers have been laid over since the crisis in Ukraine and Syria, buried ten times. Yesterday, Putin and the oligarchs have their industry, the army, Russia collapses every year, and today, according to their well-groomed logic, a ruined Russia must answer, and I would like to ask what and if? These cretiks would decide at the end of something, either remove the cross or put on their underpants. Db

One of the "foreign" kids hatch!

[Radikal]

Quote: seos

The Soviet Union was an independent state with an independent economy, all the money was kept in their homeland ...
Compare with what we have at the moment. I admit absolutely not sure that we will retaliate in the event of a nuclear strike against us. Do you think this elite will kill its children living in the US and Europe and will destroy banks where it stores its savings?

[lance]

Well, if the olergachic blot knows in advance the time of the strike, it can and will run to the money. but all events confirm the opposite, in the West and the United States there is someone to put a hand to them. so either you have to fight now, or the western savings were crying.

[uskrabut]

Since there is a stalemate situation, it must be resolved as soon as possible. The solution is real and tested, it’s enough to just show your will and declare to the Americans: “We are not getting diplomatic relations with you, let's cover everything and start negotiating again.” Under this brand, all their public institutions and human rights organizations from Russia can breathe. And do not say that we are weak, that we need to catch up with someone - this is not economics, but politics.

[Makarov]

I understood everything but it’s not clear what does Putin’s pictures have to do with it? sculpt pictures of Lavrov and Zakharova ....