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Russian Foreign Minister Warns of Return to Cold War
The United States and Russia bear responsibility for global security and should cooperate instead of opposing each other, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said Monday.
Speaking on state-controlled ORT television, Ivanov said "an emergency situation" has emerged between the two nations since Washington's order last week to expel 50 Russian diplomats. Moscow responded by ordering 50 Americans out of the country.
While reiterating anger at the U.S. move, Ivanov welcomed comments by President Bush indicating that relations should not be affected by the expulsions.
"I subscribe to this assessment, because we bear responsibility for security in the world," he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also said the scandal should not harm relations, but other Russian officials have accused the Bush administration of using Cold War-style foreign policy tactics.
The U.S. decision was rooted in the arrest of a veteran FBI agent on charges of spying for Russia.
Russian-American relations but have been strained lately over U.S. plans for a national missile defense, which Russia strongly opposes; U.S. concern over Russia's relations with countries such as Iran and Iraq, and Russia's war in Chechnya.
A Russian Cabinet minister on Monday strongly criticized the U.S. State Department for planning a meeting this week with a visiting envoy for Chechen rebels, Ilyas Akhmadov. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said last week the U.S. government will meet with both sides in the conflict, despite Russia's objections that the war is a domestic matter.
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