Consul General Andrey Pritsepov

BORN in the Soviet Union, I started my first foreign posting as a Soviet diplomat and finished it as a Russian one. For most of us it was a challenging time, but also a time of great expectations and high hopes. We genuinely believed that after the Cold War the former rivals freed from ideological barriers could jointly embark on a noble mission of building a fairer, safer and more prosperous world.

Thus, every single initiative that the young Russian state launched at that time was aimed at achieving this goal, be it forging a triangle of stability between the US, the EU and Russia, establishing a Common European Economic space from Lisbon to Vladivostok or committing itself to an European Security Treaty. These proposals, just to name some, were designed by Russia in the hope that after demolishing the walls, the time had come to start building new bridges as equal partners, creating indivisible and all-inclusive models of international political, security and economic cooperation.

I have personally spent many long hours discussing these initiatives with my foreign colleagues. And though it is hard to argue against the common sense that speaks in favour of joining forces to tackle global threats and of combining our efforts to achieve true security (and not at the expense of the other states), our voice has never been heard.

Now we stand where we are. As an insider, I can prove that it was not our choice. We have done what is in our power to bridge the gap. I do hope that we are not witnessing a new cold war unfolding, but the world has definitely not become safer. Blaming Russia for everything that has gone wrong seems to be a new over-arching political obsession in the West. The heat of media hate campaign is unprecedented. Sanctions and more sanctions have, to my deepest regret, replaced diplomacy. Will all this make the international affairs more predictable and global peace more stable? I hardly think so.

All these trends provide food for thought for people in my country. What is the real purpose of portraying Russia as an enemy, a rogue state? Why has a policy of containment replaced the need for collaboration? Why should someone else decide for Russia what kind of foreign policy to pursue, how to choose friends and allies in the world, what leaders to elect and, finally, what kind of values our civil society should observe? Why should those in the West know better that we do our own wishes and needs?

I do not know the right answers to these questions, but what I do know is that they all originate from the same fundamental dictum, which is followed daily by the Western mainstream media, namely that Russia is an enemy. As one of the Arctic Convoy veterans, 95 years of age, once told me that after the War he had travelled all across the globe and met people of different nationalities, all of whom were friendly to him. 'I have lived a long life and experienced a lot', he said, 'but still do not comprehend how they made us kill one another'.

Russia is not the enemy of the West; the people of Russia do not feel that way, nor do they act that way. Stability and peace at our borders have always been the main prerequisite for our domestic achievements; our sacrifices in the World War II make any allegations of our hostility preposterous.

We, at the Consulate General in Edinburgh, are heartened to witness that the flow of businessmen, teachers, sportsmen, tourists going to Russia from Scotland has not receded. After discovering true Russia and experiencing the warmth and hospitality of my people, many of them go back again. The forthcoming Football World Cup will certainly make this flow even stronger. And as long as we keep encouraging these people-to-people contacts that provide such a firm backbone to our bilateral relations, I am quite certain they will overcome all the setbacks.

I am deeply touched by the words of support I keep receiving not only from my Scottish friends but also from totally unknown people expressing concerns about the current situation and wishing it to improve. The Russian people do not consider the United Kingdom as an enemy. Alleged anti-British sentiments in Russia is a political overstatement. History shows that in the darkest hours our nations always stood shoulder to shoulder, being Allies in the two world wars.

A dear friend of mine, the Arctic Convoys veteran Geoff Shelton who sadly passed away recently described this bond with Russia as a golden thread, never to be severed. It is probably high time to remember his words. There is definitely no alternative to mutually beneficial cooperation on the basis of equality, pragmatism and respect of each other's interests.

Performing my duties as the Russian Consul General I travel a lot all across Scotland and do appreciate that many Scottish people, businesses, local authorities, cultural and sports figures are expressing their interest in increasing and deepening cooperation with Russia. We support them in this aspiration.

Consul General Andrey Pritsepov of the Russian Federation in Edinburgh