[Iran Press TV Latest] A former Russian envoy to NATO claims the Bush administration organized antagonistic circles within the alliance to ensure hostility towards Russia. "The previous American administration has formed an educated, very special kind of 'brigades' among the NATO countries," claimed Aleksandr Fomenko, a former member of the Russian parliamentary delegation to NATO in a Friday interview with Russia Today.
He cited "Polish and Lithuanian diplomats" as the constituents of the groups saying they were "ready to fight Russians to the very last American soldiers and American dollar."
In March, the two sides attempted reconstructing the bilateral ties clouded since the Russia's August 2008, suppression of the Georgian invasion of its pro-independence republic of South Ossetia. Moscow claims the response was aimed at protecting the Russian nationals in the province.
The improvement, however, was hampered after the alliance expelled two Russian diplomats over allegations of espionage. Russia, then, retaliated ejecting two NATO envoys from Moscow.
Fomenko did not rule out the involvement of the so-called anti-Russian circles in the expulsions by NATO.
Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, however, later said Moscow was still seeking 'normal' ties with the US-dominated miliary alliance.
After the inauguration of the new US administration, Moscow and Washington, as well, started making reciprocal overtures towards one another, in contrast to the serious recriminations during the Bush administration.
Fomenko claimed that the former US officials' machinations could still trouble the new administration. "The new administration of (President Barack) Obama and (Vice President Joe) Biden will have problems with these kind of people in future," he noted.