F-word was needed for alternative opinion – Lavrov

15 September, 2008, 08:49

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov used the F-word only once in a phone conversation with his British counterpart David Miliband. Speaking in Abkhazia, Lavrov said he used the term to give ‘a different view’ of Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili.

“David Miliband claimed that Russia was fully responsible for the events that happened in South Ossetia in the small morning hours of August 8. Miliband not only refused to recognize the Georgian armed attack on the dormant Tskhinval, but also tried to protect Saakashvili as a great democrat. I had to inform Miliband of a slightly different characteristic of Saakashvili given by one of our European colleagues. That characteristic was 'a f***ing lunatic'. That's all. That was a quote presenting a different view of the Georgian president. Anonymous insiders are responsible for any other claims made in the Daily Telegraph blog,” Lavrov recalled.

‘Not diplomatic language’

The alleged heated exchange took place shortly after the war in South Ossetia in early August. The British Foreign Minister called Lavrov to express concerns over the Russian military operation against Georgia. Citing an unnamed insider who had seen the transcript, the newspaper claims that he met repeated verbal abuse by the Russian official.

At one point Lavrov allegedly said: “Who are you to f***ing lecture me?” In similarly blunt terms he asked Miliband whether he knew Russian history.

“It was effing this and effing that. It was not what you would call diplomatic language. It was rather shocking,” the Telegraph reported, quoting the unnamed ‘Whitehall insider’.

No 'F' in diplomacy

Earlier the Russian Foreign Ministry had denied Telegraph’s claims, while a spokesman for David Miliband refused to comment.

“Such leaks are probably aimed at attaining political ends and pouring oil on the flames of hysteria surrounding Russia's actions in the Caucasus, and they are incompatible with the spirit of relations between Russia and the United Kingdom,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko observed.

Miliband lambasted by Telegraph readers

Following the report on the Telegraph’s website, numerous comments appeared, most of which supported Lavrov. A significant number of the comments were made by Britons.

Here are some of them:

Noel Groves: “We should stay out of this matter. The Brits try to solve every world problem at cost to the UK.We should follow the Swiss example.”

David Flanaghan: “The Russian only said what half the country and Mr Brown himself would like to say to this jumped up schoolboy.”

Peter Keilhauer: “About time someone slapped down Milly…what a Muppet, (no slur on Kermit intended). What does he know about anything. Time for an election methinks and time to get rid of these cretins that have led us into a totalitarian police state. Is it not time for people to realise these war mongers are going to lead us into another conflict no right thinking human being wants?”

Gary Freer: “Of course Miliband knows Russian history. His grandfather fought with the Red Army against his native Poland and his father was a Communist. Lavrov probably had their KGB files to hand as they spoke.”

Jeremy Poynton: “Serves Miliband right. The man has no qualifications to be a minister, never mind Foreign Secretary – he's just a party apparatchik, just out of his short trousers.”

RM: “Couldn't have happened to a more deserving chap! Mr Lavrov, thank you, you have no idea how many of us living here in Britain would like to use your terminology when addressing our Foreign Secretary.”

Paul Cohen: “Mr. Lavrov is a very experienced, wise and well educated professional of international diplomacy. I've watched lots of his speeches. He is always regardful and reasonable. If he said so to Miliband, it means there was a serious reason for that.”