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Russia-USA: preparing "for intensive diplomacy" · 2007-05-15 10:58

Condoleezza Rice, Vladimir PutinThe US Secretary of State has acknowledged that the country's relations with Russia have a difficult period. But Condoleezza Rice maintains that tensions fall far short of a new Cold War.

Rice arrived in Moscow on Monday ahead of high-level meetings with senior Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, Xinhua reports.

Relations between the two countries have become strained over major policy differences on several issues:

  • Kosovo: Russia threatens to veto US-backed UN plan for independent Kosovo, ending Serbian rule.
  • Missile defence shield: Russia refuses to accept that US missile defence systems to be installed in Poland and Czech Republic are to counter the threats from Iran and North Korea. Mr Putin threatens to suspend Russia’s obligations under the Conventional Arms Treaty in retaliation.
  • Iran: US has difficulty persuading Russia to agree to further sanctions against Iran to curb the latter’s suspected nuclear weapons programme.
  • Democracy: US says that Russian democratic freedoms are being rolled back ahead of elections.




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