Judo expert Putin vs cyclist Tony Abbott: Russian diplomat

TONY Abbott may be good on a bicycle but Vladimir Putin is a judo expert, a Russian embassy official has warned.

Russian President Vladimir Putin listens during a cabinet meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Russia, Monday, Oct. 13, 2014. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered thousands of his country's troops who were posted near the Ukrainian border to return to their permanent bases. A Kremlin spokesman said Putin had ordered approximately 17,600 troops to return home from the southern region of Rostov. The withdrawal may be a sign of goodwill ahead of Putin's trip to Milan on Thursday, where he is set to meet with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and European Union leaders.(AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, Presidential Press Service)

TONY Abbott may be good on a bicycle but Vladimir Putin is a judo expert, a Russian embassy official has warned, as he hit back at the Prime Minister’s promise to “shirt-front” the President at the G20 summit in Brisbane.

Russian diplomat Alexander Odoevskiy delivered the rebuke, saying Mr Abbott’s comments were unusually personal and physical.

While no face-to-face meeting has been planned for the two leaders, Mr Abbott said he would seek one.

With ambassador Vladimir Morozov back in Moscow, Mr Odoevskiy stressed he was giving his personal views and said there would not be any official embassy response.

Bill Shorten said the Prime Minister had “probably chosen the wrong language” when he used the “shirt-front” term.

Mr Odoevskiy, the embassy’s second secretary who normally serves as its spokesman, said this was “not the first time Prime Minister Abbott has used harsh words”. He said he did not think there would be an opportunity for Mr Abbott to confront Mr Putin personally.

“Currently there are no bilateral meetings planned,” Mr Odoevskiy said. “They haven’t been requested by either side. So when could Prime Minister Abbott shirt-front Mr Putin?”

Mr Odoevskiy said “as we all know, Prime Minister Abbott is very strong on bicycles and President Putin is very strong in judo, which is wrestling”.

Mr Abbott yesterday indicated he would seek a discussion with Mr Putin.

He said there was still a month to the G20 and his program was still being finalised.

“I certainly expect that while he’s a guest of Australia, he will undertake to have a conversation with the Australian Prime Minister,” Mr Abbott said

“I’m going to have a very robust conversation with President Putin should he be here for the G20 and … make it very clear the Australian people expect, the world expects, full co-operation by Russia in the criminal investigation so that the people who committed this (Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17) atrocity can be brought to justice.”

Mr Abbott said it was clear 38 innocent Australians were murdered. “This was an atrocity. It wasn’t a tragedy, it was an atrocity,” he said. “It wasn’t an accident, it was a crime. It was a plane brought down by Russian-backed rebels using Russian-supplied equipment.”

The earliest face-to-face opportunity for Australia to make its feelings known to Mr Putin will come this week when Foreign Minister Julie Bishop attends the Asia-Europe summit in Milan.