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It will just be a waste of time and money and an unnecessary irritant in our relationship

Mamedov also blasted the Harper government for its harsh and unrelenting criticism of his country’s actions in Ukraine following its annexation of Crimea in March and the unrest in eastern Ukraine.

Harper has labelled Russian President Vladimir Putin a provocateur in eastern Ukraine, calling him a threat to world peace for violating the country’s borders and annexing Crimea.

“On foreign policy, because of recent events, of course I can’t agree with what this government is doing, trying to paint everything white or black, including us and Ukraine,” Mamedov said.

He accused the Harper government of isolating itself from its allies over Ukraine and hinted broadly that the Conservatives are likely playing to a domestic audience of 1.2 million Ukrainian-Canadians.

“My whole history as a diplomat, during Cold War, after Cold War was: the higher the risk, the more active the discussion,” he said. “The only exception to this rule is the last seven months I spent in Ottawa.”

But with a Senate committee weighing in on missile defence and a House of Commons committee also poised to do so, Mamedov said Canada will undermine already troubled relations with Russia if it joins the BMD program.

“It’s not smart, but it’s your sovereign decision,” he said.

“If it would be considered provocative during peaceful times, imagine how it would look on top of all this hysteria over a confrontation about Ukraine.”

The minority Liberal government of Paul Martin opted out of the missile shield in 2005 in the face of domestic political pressure. The shield’s main purpose is to down incoming nuclear warheads from North Korea or Iran. But with U.S. shield installations in eastern Europe, Russia also considers it provocative.