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18May17

Russian diplomat says US never used joint mechanism to fight cyber threats

The United States has not used the joint Russian-US mechanism to fight cyber threats just once, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in an interview to the Spanish daily ABC.

"We have a joint mechanism with the Americans to resist cyber threats, which they have not used just once," Zakharova said. About the elections in the United States and France Zakharova said: "In contrast to our European counterparts, who supported Hillary Clinton and Emmanuel Macron, we do not intervene in the internal affairs of other countries, nor do we support candidates in other countries, because we respect democracy."

"The United States is the world's largest power. Can you imagine the possibility Russia might have intervened in such a powerful campaign?" Zakharova asked. "It is impossible. In any case, they should have recognized the utter helplessness of their secret services."

Zakharova recalled that Russia itself earlier had suffered from serious attacks by hackers.

"In 2014 the website of the Foreign Ministry was out of operation for a month due to cyber-attacks," she recalled.

"If Washington receives information there has been a cyber-attack from Russian territory, it is free to notify Russia where the attack took place. Russian specialists then confirm that and take specific measures to block (the attack)," Zakharova said. "Moscow can act in the same fashion. For the past two years we have heard that cyber attacks are carried out from Russia. The corresponding mechanism has not been used just once."

"We are confronted with a situation where in case of discontent over the results of the elections the blame is put on imaginary Russian hackers," Zakharova said. "But if the results (of the elections are approved, Russian hackers never surface."

Zakharova believes that in the United States there exists "some imaginary issue related with their internal political struggle.".

[Source: Itar Tass, Madrid, 18May17]
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