'US Deep State feeding liberal chattering classes myth of Russian bogey state’

Endemic Russophobia in the US prevents cooperation between Russia and the US from reaching the proper level despite the fact it is counterproductive for the US, says international affairs commentator Marko Gasic.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has described the searches of its diplomatic premises in the US “illegal.”

“When discussing international relations, Lavrov pointed out that the seizure of Russian diplomatic property on US soil was a flagrant violation of international rules,” the ministry said in a statement. “The minister drew the secretary of state's attention to the words of Vladimir Putin during the BRICS summit in Xiamen, China about Russia’s intention to use legal means to fight back against Washington’s illegal actions.”

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'Violation of international law’: Russia to sue over diplomatic property row, Lavrov tells Tillerson

“The American decision to deprive Russia of the use of its property is an obvious violation of Russia’s property rights,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said in China on Tuesday. “Let’s see how well the much-praised American legal system works in practice.”

RT spoke to international affairs commentator Marko Gasic and discussed the situation.

RT: The Russian Foreign Ministry has called the searches illegal, would you agree with that?

Marko Gasic: They are clearly illegal, and I am sure the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties has a lot to say about this kind of cavalier behavior of other people’s diplomatic establishments. That has not stopped the US before, and it won’t again. It is not even about searches, this is quite possibly the placing of advanced bugging equipment in the heart of the brick structure of the building. These buildings will be, in terms of security and confidentiality, presumably absolutely unsafe once these plainclothes American special agents have gone through them.

RT: President Putin has said cooperation will continue despite this happening. Is that a positive sign from Moscow, and should we expect the same from Washington?

MG: Putin has always been keen on cooperation, and it’s the endemic Russophobia in the American deep state system that makes sure that cooperation doesn’t reach the proper level it should be. It is counterproductive for the US as well because really it is driving Russia away in many ways, both financially and militarily, and in terms of all kinds of cooperation in all spheres. It will probably, in the long run, do more damage to the US than it will to Russia.

RT: This week, Putin suggested Russia could take the US to court over the diplomatic property. Is this an unprecedented move?

MG: It is certainly something Russia is entitled to do, but it is something I would guess it won’t do unless more escalation follows from the US. I think what really President Putin and Russia are saying is, “we can escalate the stakes if you do as well. We can also play hardball. Do you want us to?” It is really a question being posed to the Americans. Unfortunately, at the moment the Americans seem to want to play hardball. The endemic Russophobia, as I say, in the American deep state system that is being fed out to the liberal chattering classes to believe and swallow without any evidence. Claims are being made at the expense of Russia, within America it is the bogey state to justify the military industrial complex getting its money. I don’t see that changing too soon.