Date:03/07/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/07/03/stories/2009070377771001.htm

International

Medvedev hopes for fresh start in Russia-U.S. ties

Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev expressed the hope for a new start in Russian-American relations when U.S. President Barack Obama pays his first visit to Russia next week.

“I hope the sincere desire to open a new page in Russian-American cooperation will translate into reality,” said Mr. Medvedev ahead of the first Russia-U.S. summit in Moscow on June 6-8.

Mr. Medvedev praised Mr. Obama for his willingness to overcome a “crisis of trust” in Russian-U.S. relations after they “have tumbled almost to the Cold War level” in recent years.

“The new administration of President Obama is showing willingness to change the situation and build more effective, reliable, and ultimately more modern relations,” the Russian leader said in a video blog posted on the Kremlin website on Thursday.“We are ready to play our part,” Mr. Medvedev added.

He said he was looking forward to “intensive and comprehensive talks” with Mr. Obama that would bring results and “onward movement on the basis of an absolutely pragmatic agenda.”

The summit is expected to produce agreements at least on two key issues - nuclear arms and Afghanistan.

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said earlier this week that progress in Russian-U.S. talks on deeper nuclear arms cuts had “exceeded our expectations” and this opened the way to sealing a new pact by December when the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-1) expires.

Another Russian diplomat said Russia was ready to allow air and land transit of military supplies for the U.S.-led NATO forces fighting the Taliban. Shipments of U.S. non-lethal cargoes to Afghanistan across Russian territory began in March.