US recognizes 'poor' relation with Russia, seeks cooperation on Syria


Washington, Dec 29 (IANS): The United States, while maintaining "a poor relationship" with Russia, still needs to work with Russia in areas of mutual interests including Syria, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said.

Washington and Moscow remained widely confrontational this year amid the ongoing investigation of Russia's interference in the US presidential election, the diplomatic row and the disagreements over issues including the eastern Ukraine.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has denied evidence exists of any Russian interference in the US elections in 2016. The statement came after charges were filed in the US against former aides of the Trump campaign.

"The United States today has a poor relationship with a resurgent Russia," wrote Tillerson in a commentary published in the New York Times, Xinhua reported on Thursday.

"There cannot be business as usual with Russia" with absent a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine situation, the top US diplomat added.

Earlier this month, the United States has again moved to confront Russia over the eastern Ukraine issue, preparing to sell advanced weapons to Ukraine and asking Russia to ease violence in eastern Ukraine.

Reacting to the US arms sale decision, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that it will lead to "new bloodshed."

In the article reviewing the US foreign policy, Tillerson also noted that the United States still needs to work with Russia where mutual interests intersect, and "nowhere is that more evident than in Syria."

Tillerson acknowledged Russia's commitment to the United Nations-backed Geneva political process to achieve peace in Syria.

Earlier this month, the latest round of Geneva peace talks on Syria ended without any "real negotiations."

In parallel with the Geneva talks were several rounds of talks in Astana, which were supported by Russia, Turkey and Iran. The Astana talks achieved the de-escalation zones deal for the cease-fire in four major hotspots in Syria.

  

Top Stories


Leave a Comment

Title: US recognizes 'poor' relation with Russia, seeks cooperation on Syria



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.