The Russian embassy in Ireland is working on a road map to restart a dialogue with Dublin once the coronavirus restrictions are lifted, Ambassador Yury Filatov told Sputnik in an interview
LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th May, 2020) The Russian embassy in Ireland is working on a road map to restart a dialogue with Dublin once the coronavirus restrictions are lifted, Ambassador Yury Filatov told Sputnik in an interview.
Like other countries across the world, Ireland has put in place measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus, with people recommended to stay at home, except for movements to and from essential work. According to the ambassador, the embassy maintains contact with Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade either online or via phone. The two countries have canceled a number of visits, including cultural and parliamentary exchanges.
"With the situation leveling out, we are working on a road map to restart our dialogue and interaction in a wide range of areas. Everything that we achieved in February and March has not gone anywhere, it will be continued and built on and will develop," Filatov said.
According to the diplomat, relations with Ireland were developing "quite positively and constructively" before the pandemic. As an example of that, he mentioned "quite a good visit" of the Irish minister for foreign affairs and trade, Simon Coveney, to Moscow and his talks with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
"The ministers confirmed that we have many overlapping, common positions on global issues, often even coinciding, in particular on the central role of the UN, disarmament and non-proliferation, and a number of regional conflicts, Certainly, there are issues on which we disagree, and they are mainly linked to the EU stance on Ukraine, for example," he explained.
The main principle of Russia-Irish relations, Filatov added, is to admit disagreements and address them constructively, without creating "contrived" problems.
"In economic terms, everything has developed and is developing well. Trade is growing, with the annual volume somewhere at $2 billion. But this common misfortune [pandemic] has certainly made adjustments to the way our bilateral relations are progressing," he added.
The ambassador expressed hope that life would soon get back to normal. No one from the embassy staff has tested positive for COVID-19, he added, noting that all non-essential contacts have been restricted.
As of Wednesday, Ireland updated its cumulative COVID-19 tally by 73 cases to 24,803. The death toll has risen by 17 to 1,631.
