Zakharova’s Statements at the Press Conference
At a press conference held in the capital Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova discussed various current issues. In particular, she drew attention to the detention of Pavel Durov, the founder of the messaging application Telegram, in France. Zakharova stated that this situation constituted a serious violation of international norms regarding the protection of freedom of expression,
“The French government has grossly violated international norms regarding the protection of freedom of expression. When Paris authorities say they are sensitive about equal access to the press and information, they are actually displaying hypocrisy. We are seeing the exact opposite of their stated ideals. “
Zakharova pointed out that many people reacted to the violation of international norms, “The neoliberal elites, however, remain silent on this issue. At this point, international institutions need to fulfill their missions regarding freedom of expression and information and condemn the actions of the French authorities.”He also stressed that the Russian Embassy in Paris had not responded to the request made to the French authorities to provide access to Durov.
Evaluations on Al-Aqsa Mosque
Responding to the AA correspondent’s question, “How do you evaluate Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir’s call to build a synagogue in the Al-Aqsa Mosque?” Zaharova said, “The minister’s statements are not disrespectful to people who embrace Islam, but an attempt to seriously disrupt the status quo of Jerusalem’s holy sites. These sites have an international legal basis in the 1994 Jordan-Israel Treaty.”He spoke as follows.
Zakharova continued her words as follows: “Such statements by supporters of Zionism must be condemned, along with the recent actions by Ben-Gwir and his followers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, as these actions are extremely provocative. Such steps lead to an increase in radical sentiment in both Israeli and Palestinian society and undermine international efforts to reduce tensions in the Middle East, in the context of the conflict in the Gaza Strip.”
Opinions on Russia-Ukraine Talks
Zakharova, assessing the possibility of resuming negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, recalled the attack carried out by Ukrainian soldiers in the Kursk region at the beginning of August, “Under these conditions, how and with whom can peace talks be held? Of course, peace talks with the terrorist Kiev regime are out of the question.”He used the expressions.
In response to a question about the evaluation of the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Ukraine last week, Zakharova stated that Russia-India relations are at the level of strategic partnership, “Modi’s visit to Kiev is seen as an effort to contribute to the political and diplomatic solution of the Ukrainian crisis, along with the initiatives of other countries acting independently. We are ready to continue dialogue with our Indian friends on the Ukrainian issue,” he said.He responded as follows.
Zakharova also touched on the situation in the Middle East, “The situation here is explosive. We call on all parties involved to take responsibility and avoid actions that will further exacerbate the situation.”he said.
