14 March 2001 00:00
ON THE QUESTION OF RUSSIAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS
2001-03-13-05
The first steps taken in the context of Russian-American relations after the coming to power of the new U.S. administration inspire certain optimism. There have already taken place an exchange of messages, and a telephone conversation between the presidents of our countries. The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs' meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State has passed off successfully. It is important that a line for engagement in the bilateral and international contexts, and a common disposition for the step-up of cooperation in the areas of coinciding interests and the search of mutually acceptable solutions to existing differences have been confirmed. I hope that this visit too will serve to develop regular and fruitful Russian-American contacts, aimed at confidence building and better understanding between Russia and the United States, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Sergey Ivanov declared on Tuesday before departure for Washington.
It is necessary, he said, to do the utmost for Russian-American relations to be stable, pragmatic and built with the consideration of mutual interests and of the responsibility that lies with our two countries. I think we must use all the possibilities to move further - to a joint determination of the priorities and parameters of our cooperation, and to the practical launching of a full-format bilateral dialogue on the entire agenda and at all levels. Of great importance in this connection is the earliest organization of the first meeting between the presidents of Russia and the United States, Sergey Ivanov noted.
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