Greece and Russia will restore normal diplomatic relations: Zakharova

Greece and Russia will eventually restore normal diplomatic relations said Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova at a press briefing of Russian and international journalists on Wednesday, noting that common sense should prevail over time and diplomatic activity between the two countries  become normalized.

Responding to questions, Zakharova said the expulsion of 8 Greek diplomats from Moscow "was a necessary response to the unfriendly actions of the Greek side," while she called the deportation of 12 Russian diplomats from Greece "unprecedented."

She claimed that the deportation by Greece was based on "the desire, the aim to weaken Russian diplomatic representatives and obstruct their natural operations to greatest degree possible, based on a made-up excuse."

Zakharova also complained that "Greece's present government moved to a greater escalation, by developing a loud mass media campaign, publishing private data of these people," an "unethical tactic which we are naturally not going to copy."

She stressed that "mutual deportations were not Moscow's choice," and added that despite staff reductions the Russian embassy in Athens and the Russian consulate general in Thessaloniki would continue to operate as per usual.