Russian envoy criticizes as unprofessional Canadian top diplomat’s remark - TASS

Russia’s envoy to Ottawa Oleg Stepanov has criticized as unprofessional the Canadian foreign minister’s comment last weekend on the presence of Canadian representatives at events hosted by the Russian embassy.

"I don’t like harsh rhetoric, but to me, this is unprofessional," Stepanov told TASS on Sunday, recalling that the presence of a Canadian Foreign Ministry official at an event hosted by the Russian diplomatic mission was "natural for diplomacy." "Everybody understands that diplomats should maintain communication, but I’ll leave that to Canadian politicians," he added.

The Russian diplomat said relations between Moscow and Ottawa were "almost frozen" now. Meanwhile, he said, the authorities in Canada should have dialogue with Russia, their neighbor in the Arctic and a nuclear power. "Especially since we have never treated Canada as an enemy or a rival," Stepanov remarked.

Canada’s Foreign Minister Melanie Joly blasted as unacceptable the presence of a Canadian representative at an event hosted by the Russian embassy to Ottawa to mark Russia Day. Canada’s top diplomat pledged that "no Canadian representative will attend this kind of event again."

The event held on June 10 to mark Russia Day gathered more than 100 people, including envoys from over 30 African, Middle Eastern and Latin American countries, TASS reported earlier. A female official from a Canadian Foreign Ministry department also attended.