OREANDA-NEWS. Russia offers the Czech Republic to use the mechanisms of bilateral dialogue on the protection of monuments in order to avoid deterioration of relations between the countries. This is stated in a statement issued on Monday by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

"We suggest that our Czech partners use bilateral dialogue mechanisms to fulfill the authorities' obligations to protect the monuments. Rejecting this official Prague will aggravate the already difficult atmosphere of our relations", the diplomatic service noted.

Russia, having drawn attention to the violation by the Czech side of obligations under the joint agreement on the foundations of friendly relations of 1993 when dismantling the monument to USSR Marshal Ivan Konev, didn't interfere in the internal affairs of the Czech Republic. On Smolenskaya Square, such allegations were called "untenable and baseless".

"The independence of local governments doesn't exempt the state from fulfilling its international legal obligations", the ministry said.