Argentinian President to RT: ‘It is absurd to really think that Russia is a threat’
There are no reasons why Russia and Argentina should’t have bilateral ties, Argentinian President Cristina Kirchner said, stressing that it is “absurd” to deem Russia a threat. Kirchner spoke to RT in her first interview to a foreign media in five years.
“I believe that Russia is a player of a global, worldwide scale, its participation is investable; this is why I don’t see reasons why there should be no bilateral relations [between Argentina and Russia],” Kirchner said when she was asked to comment on Britain’s intention to boost its military presence in the region, citing warming Russian-Argentinian relations.
Last month, UK Defense Secretary Michael Fallon announced a $271 million plan to strengthen its military presence in the Falklands to respond to “a very live threat”.
“I think that, despite all assertions that the Cold War and confrontations are in the past, that we live in more global world, there are many who still follow double standards, when for existence or supremacy they need an enemy,” Kirchner replied referring to Britain.
As the Argentinian leader spoke about Russian-Argentinian relations, she stressed that not Russia, but the US remains “the most important investor” for the Latin American state.
“Then we should be worried about such amount of Americans in our country, especially given the current events in the world,” Kirchner stressed. “It is an absurd to really think that Russia is a threat.”
On Thursday, Russia and Argentina sealed energy package as well as $3 billion in deals.
Thus, Russia plans to invest $2 billion in Argentinian nuclear power plants, and Russia's Gazprom has signed a deal to explore oil and gas fields in Argentina, a project worth another $1 billion.
READ MORE: Russia and Argentina seal energy package, $3bn in deals
“In my opinion, this double ‘friend-foe’logic should cease to exist in the world, because besides many other things, it leads to some really intolerable situations. This is why today [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and I signed a joined agreement about dialogue, politics, diplomacy and multilateral cooperation and about UN’s role as the only possible factor of stopping and, eventually, resolving conflicts,” Kirchner said.
There are no conflicts in Disneyland
The Argentinian president, whose second term will end in 2016, believes that being a woman does influence the attitude to her and triggers criticism from the “ruling circles.”
“It is obvious that there is still an element of female discrimination in politics,” she said. “If, being a woman, I would do everything what powerful structures want to, I am sure I that case they would really praise me and call me smart and talented. But, besides that I am a woman, I also act not the way they want me to, and this is a double sin.”
Yet, citing Margaret Thatcher as an example, she said that being a female leader “is not a necessary condition for a constant criticism.”
“If a person becomes a head of Disneyland, of course he will be loved; because everybody likes Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck…There are no conflicts in Disneyland. So if you are a president of Disneyland, of course you will be loved because what would you be doing there? Walking in forest, gardens and give out candies,” Kirchner joked.
Full interview with Cristina Kirchner coming up on RT.com
