{"id":22869,"date":"2013-01-23T15:37:00","date_gmt":"2013-01-23T14:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rt.com\/politics\/russia-us-lavrov-reset-missile-defense-560\/"},"modified":"2013-01-23T15:37:00","modified_gmt":"2013-01-23T14:37:00","slug":"russia-ready-to-develop-relations-with-us-lavrov","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/breaking-news\/russia-ready-to-develop-relations-with-us-lavrov\/","title":{"rendered":"Russia ready to develop relations with US – Lavrov"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\"Russian<\/p>\n

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov gives news conference on January 23, 2013. (RIA Novosti \/ Alexey Philippov)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Moscow, determined to salvage strained Russia-US relations, nevertheless says it will continue to respond accordingly to unfriendly US moves.<\/p>\n

\u00adRussia is looking for international cooperation with the United States that is based on the principles of equality, mutual respect and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Lavrov, addressing \u201cnew irritants that have added to the missile defense irritation,\u201d<\/em> mentioned the passage by US lawmakers of the so-called Magnitsky Act, which has triggered a diplomatic storm between Moscow and Washington.<\/p>\n

The Russian minister said the \u201codious\u201d<\/em> US legislation \u201csupplanted the anti-Soviet Jackson-Vanik Amendment with an anti-Russian law.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

A human tragedy was utilized to cynically punish Russia, he added.<\/p>\n

The Magnitsky Act was drafted by US lawmakers in response to the death of Sergey Magnitsky, a lawyer with Hermitage Capital who died in a Moscow prison while awaiting trial in a massive tax evasion case.<\/p>\n

Lavrov reminded that the judicial process in the Magnitsky case “has not been completed,\u201d<\/em> yet American lawmakers are intent on playing the role of judge.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is beyond their jurisdiction,\u201d<\/em> he said. \u201cOne cannot leave these things without response.”<\/em><\/p>\n

The Russian parliament responded by sending to the desk of President Vladimir Putin the Dima Yakovlev bill, named after a Russian boy who died of heatstroke after being left in a car by his adoptive American parents.<\/p>\n

Putin signed the bill into law in late December.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the diplomatic wrangling between Moscow and Washington did not end there.<\/p>\n

This month, a US court imposed a fine on Russia for its refusal to return a collection of religious documents to a prominent US-based Jewish organization. According to the verdict, Russia would be required to pay US$50,000 a day to Chabad Lubavitch until it releases the Schneerson Library.<\/p>\n

The problem over the Schneerson collection has nothing in common with justice, Lavrov told the press conference.<\/p>\n

In fact, even the US Justice Department condemned the decision, arguing that it was not legally possible to introduce sanctions of this type against Russia.<\/p>\n

The minister pointed to a \u201cnew spiral of confrontation\u201d<\/em> over a verdict that has \u201cnothing in common with justice,\u201d<\/em> emphasizing that the collection is the \u201cheritage of the Russian nation.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Despite the surface tensions, Lavrov acknowledged that Russia is still committed to working with the United States as equal partners.<\/p>\n

“Of course we will retaliate to unfriendly acts, but at the core of our position is the development of Russian-American links in all fields, including in the international arena,”<\/em> he said.<\/p>\n

Lavrov revealed that the newly re-inaugurated President Obama has received an invitation to visit Moscow, and the Kremlin is awaiting a response.<\/p>\n

The Foreign Minister then discussed the situation in the Mediterranean region, specifically in Syria, where a militant political opposition is attempting to oust President Bashar Assad. In light of the situation, he advocated on behalf of Russia\u2019s presence in the region.<\/p>\n

“Times have changed and our fleets must have training,\u201d<\/em> Lavrov emphasized. \u201cWe cannot afford further destabilization in the Mediterranean region; therefore, (our naval presence there) is a stabilizing factor.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The Foreign Minister noted that its diplomats in Syria have returned to Russia, adding that he did not anticipate a wide-scale evacuation of Russian civilians from the embattled Arab Republic.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Lavrov expressed frustration that no real attempts have been made to encourage the Syrian opposition to enter into peace negotiations.<\/p>\n

“It has been Russia that has made attempts to convince the Syrian opposition to start talks,”<\/em> he proclaimed. \u201cPresently, the opposition [has avoided negotiations] because it seeks to overthrow the regime of Bashar Assad.”
<\/em><\/p>\n

Such policy would stop at nothing, he believes.<\/p>\n

Lavrov reiterated that Russia’s priority in Syria “is not to achieve any geopolitical goals, but to stabilize the situation and cease the bloodshed in order to save Syrians’ lives,”<\/em> adding that the Russian Foreign Ministry welcomes the inaugural statement by President Obama concerning the end of the decade of wars and conflicts.<\/p>\n

“I welcome this statement if it really means the end of armed settlement of international problems,\u201d<\/em> Lavrov said. \u201cI think everyone has realized that these methods create nothing but new problems.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Robert Bridge, RT<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\n

\"Russian<\/p>\n

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov gives news conference on January 23, 2013. (RIA Novosti \/ Alexey Philippov)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Moscow, determined to salvage strained Russia-US relations, nevertheless says it will continue to respond accordingly to unfriendly US moves.<\/p>\n

­Russia is looking for international cooperation with the United States that is based on the principles of equality, mutual respect and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Lavrov, addressing “new irritants that have added to the missile defense irritation,”<\/em> mentioned the passage by US lawmakers of the so-called Magnitsky Act, which has triggered a diplomatic storm between Moscow and Washington.<\/p>\n

The Russian minister said the “odious”<\/em> US legislation “supplanted the anti-Soviet Jackson-Vanik Amendment with an anti-Russian law.”<\/em><\/p>\n

A human tragedy was utilized to cynically punish Russia, he added.<\/p>\n

The Magnitsky Act was drafted by US lawmakers in response to the death of Sergey Magnitsky, a lawyer with Hermitage Capital who died in a Moscow prison while awaiting trial in a massive tax evasion case.<\/p>\n

Lavrov reminded that the judicial process in the Magnitsky case “has not been completed,”<\/em> yet American lawmakers are intent on playing the role of judge.<\/p>\n

“This is beyond their jurisdiction,”<\/em> he said. “One cannot leave these things without response.”<\/em><\/p>\n

The Russian parliament responded by sending to the desk of President Vladimir Putin the Dima Yakovlev bill, named after a Russian boy who died of heatstroke after being left in a car by his adoptive American parents.<\/p>\n

Putin signed the bill into law in late December.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the diplomatic wrangling between Moscow and Washington did not end there.<\/p>\n

This month, a US court imposed a fine on Russia for its refusal to return a collection of religious documents to a prominent US-based Jewish organization. According to the verdict, Russia would be required to pay US$50,000 a day to Chabad Lubavitch until it releases the Schneerson Library.<\/p>\n

The problem over the Schneerson collection has nothing in common with justice, Lavrov told the press conference.<\/p>\n

In fact, even the US Justice Department condemned the decision, arguing that it was not legally possible to introduce sanctions of this type against Russia.<\/p>\n

The minister pointed to a “new spiral of confrontation”<\/em> over a verdict that has “nothing in common with justice,”<\/em> emphasizing that the collection is the “heritage of the Russian nation.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Despite the surface tensions, Lavrov acknowledged that Russia is still committed to working with the United States as equal partners.<\/p>\n

“Of course we will retaliate to unfriendly acts, but at the core of our position is the development of Russian-American links in all fields, including in the international arena,”<\/em> he said.<\/p>\n

Lavrov revealed that the newly re-inaugurated President Obama has received an invitation to visit Moscow, and the Kremlin is awaiting a response.<\/p>\n

The Foreign Minister then discussed the situation in the Mediterranean region, specifically in Syria, where a militant political opposition is attempting to oust President Bashar Assad. In light of the situation, he advocated on behalf of Russia’s presence in the region.<\/p>\n

“Times have changed and our fleets must have training,”<\/em> Lavrov emphasized. “We cannot afford further destabilization in the Mediterranean region; therefore, (our naval presence there) is a stabilizing factor.”<\/em><\/p>\n

The Foreign Minister noted that its diplomats in Syria have returned to Russia, adding that he did not anticipate a wide-scale evacuation of Russian civilians from the embattled Arab Republic.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Lavrov expressed frustration that no real attempts have been made to encourage the Syrian opposition to enter into peace negotiations.<\/p>\n

“It has been Russia that has made attempts to convince the Syrian opposition to start talks,”<\/em> he proclaimed. “Presently, the opposition [has avoided negotiations] because it seeks to overthrow the regime of Bashar Assad.”
<\/em><\/p>\n

Such policy would stop at nothing, he believes.<\/p>\n

Lavrov reiterated that Russia’s priority in Syria “is not to achieve any geopolitical goals, but to stabilize the situation and cease the bloodshed in order to save Syrians’ lives,”<\/em> adding that the Russian Foreign Ministry welcomes the inaugural statement by President Obama concerning the end of the decade of wars and conflicts.<\/p>\n

“I welcome this statement if it really means the end of armed settlement of international problems,”<\/em> Lavrov said. “I think everyone has realized that these methods create nothing but new problems.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Robert Bridge, RT<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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