Russia's FM Lavrov says U.S.intelligence tried to recruit senior Russian diplomats

Record ID: 164601

  • Title: Russia's FM Lavrov says U.S.intelligence tried to recruit senior Russian diplomats
  • Date: 17th January 2017
  • Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (JANUARY 17, 2017) (REUTERS) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SERGEI LAVROV, SAYING: "Talking about ways to recruit (spies). We haven't made public the full statistics on this, but in the last few years, especially during (U.S. outgoing President Barack) Obama's second term such unfriendly activity directed at our diplomats intensified." LAVROV AND RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON MARIA ZAKHAROVA AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SERGEI LAVROV, SAYING: "In April last year an unprecedented attempt to recruit a man occupying the second highest position in the embassy, on the level of the ambassador's advisor, took place, he was offered to cooperate (with foreign intelligence). US special services have also tried to recruit another one of our top diplomats and placed in his car in his absence 10,000 U.S. dollars and an offer of cooperation. If anyone is interested, this money was then handed to our bookkeepers and is being used for the benefit of the Russian state." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SERGEI LAVROV, SAYING: "There were really ugly episodes, when two staff members of the Russian military attache in Washington (D.C.) on one of their days off were having lunch with their spouses not far from Washington. They were detained, handcuffed, questioned, denied requests to contact the embassy. Finally of course our staff intervened, but there were no apologies offered." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SERGEI LAVROV, SAYING: "Apart from espionage towards diplomats, U.S. embassy staff have been repeatedly spotted while taking part in rallies organised by our opposition, in unsanctioned anti-government rallies, sometimes disguising themselves. So you can judge for yourself." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS
  • Embargoed: 31st January 2017 08:52
  • Keywords: Russia Lavrov us espionage diplomats
  • Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
  • City: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015ZGX9VR
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: U.S. intelligence agencies have repeatedly tried to recruit Russian diplomats, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference in Moscow on Tuesday (January 17).
    "In April last year an unprecedented attempt to recruit a man occupying the second highest position in the embassy, on the level of the ambassador's advisor, took place. He was offered to cooperate (with foreign intelligence). U.S. special services have also tried to recruit another one of our top diplomats and placed in his car in his absence 10,000 U.S. dollars and an offer of cooperation," Lavrov said.
    He added that top ranking U.S. diplomats were seen taking part in various opposition rallies, some times disguising themselves.
    At the end of December 2016 U.S. President Barack Obama ordered the expulsion of the 35 Russian diplomats suspected of espionage and imposed sanctions on two Russian intelligence agencies over their involvement in hacking political groups in the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election. Putin then announced he would not hit back and expel U.S. embassy staff.
    U.S. intelligence agencies say Russia was behind hacks into Democratic Party organizations and operatives before the presidential election. Moscow denies this. U.S. intelligence officials say the Russian cyber attacks aimed to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register