Post by cenydd on Sept 6, 2013 10:16:21 GMT
Dmitry Peskov was reported to have made the comments in a briefing with Russian journalists at the G20 summit in St. Petersburg on Thursday night.
“Britain is just a small island no one pays any attention to them,” Mr Peskov was reported to have said.
Mr Peskov vigorously denied making the comments on Friday morning.
“I simply can’t explain the source of that claim. Definitely it is nothing to do with reality. It is not something I have said,” M<r Peskov told The Times when challenged about the quotation.
“I don’t know whose views it reflects. We have very positive dynamics in our relationship between Britain and Russia.”
The alleged comments, which were reported by the BBC and could not be verified, sparked a diplomatic spat with David Cameron that threatened to destroy the veil of accord that has so far masked very real tensions over Syria.
“Britain is just a small island no one pays any attention to them,” Mr Peskov was reported to have said.
Mr Peskov vigorously denied making the comments on Friday morning.
“I simply can’t explain the source of that claim. Definitely it is nothing to do with reality. It is not something I have said,” M<r Peskov told The Times when challenged about the quotation.
“I don’t know whose views it reflects. We have very positive dynamics in our relationship between Britain and Russia.”
The alleged comments, which were reported by the BBC and could not be verified, sparked a diplomatic spat with David Cameron that threatened to destroy the veil of accord that has so far masked very real tensions over Syria.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/10290740/Russia-denies-calling-Britain-a-little-island-no-one-cares-about.html
Ferocious back-peddling by him, or has someone been making things up in the first place to cause trouble?
