Thaindian News

Mumbai, Dec 23 (IANS) Russia “doesn’t give a damn” about the assessments of the country’s domestic affairs discussed in secret US diplomatic cables which were exposed by whistleblower website Wikileaks, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said.”Actually we don’t give a damn about things being discussed in diplomatic circles while assessing the social processes in our country. It is just opinion,” Medvedev was quoted by RIA Novosti news agency as telling students at the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-Bombay) during his official visit to India.

In late November, Wikileaks began releasing a huge number of classified US embassy cables which also contain forthright comments about many world leaders.

In one such cable, President Medvedev was described as “Robin” in deference to his “Batman” Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

“It is not a secret that when people communicate, they often use very forthright expressions,” Medvedev said, adding that if the similar leak occurred in Russia’s foreign ministry or security services, the country’s partners, including the US might be strongly emotional while reading “warm words about themselves”.

The president interacted with around 250 students and more than 40 faculty members at the institute.

Medvedev arrived in New Delhi Tuesday on a three-day visit to India. India and Russia Tuesday inked 29 bilateral agreements, which include building advanced stealth jet fighters to increasing banking linkages and setting up a steel plant.

He also visited the Taj Mahal in Agra Wednesday, before arriving in Mumbai.