June 27(EIRNS) — Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Russia and the US need to rebuild trust and cited the joint Soyuz-Apollo spaceflight as a very good example of the type of joint undertaking the countries can work towards.
“As for further steps, we should rebuild trust. We should accumulate positive impulses and energy via joint efforts, via cooperation, via practical interaction to be able to set more meaningful tasks. Now, to be frank, we have zero trust. Regrettably, we are suffering numerous stresses in our relations. We are living through quite a difficult period,” he said in an interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman on Friday. This could be achieved, he added through a “tactic of small steps.”
“Let us work on the agenda that cannot be distorted and transformed into breaking-news headlines by those who are not interested in the normalization of Russian-US relations,...if we manage to do it, I think we will be able, directed by the leaders and relying on the experience of our predecessors, to build something new and worthy that would be on a par with the joint Soyuz-Apollo spaceflight,” Ryabkov stressed.
Ryobkov also said Russia is interested in US President Donald Trump’s proposal to hold an expanded G7 summit, involving Russia, Australia, India and South Korea.
“This is of interest [to Russia]. Of course, we are studying what was proposed by the US president,” he said. Nonetheless he took exception at China not being invited, “I believe that the G7 as presented by the American side reflects a somewhat one-sided view of problems, if only because China is not among those invited to that group".
Commenting on his recent arms control talks with US Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea, he said, “We did not limit ourselves to mere relaying of our positions, which both Russian and the US are well aware of.... but we worked for a result. That this result is beyond our field of view is another matter. But a constructive, calm, business-like approach to these issues, creative in many ways, provides a dose of optimism".
“I hope that, when this work continues, including on the level of expert groups, whose establishment we have negotiated, and later on our level of inter-agency delegations, we will be able to augment this progress, although, I repeat, disagreements are very significant and fundamental in some aspects,” the senior diplomat added.
While the US is demanding China be involved in these talks, Ryobkov said Russia thinks it necessary that the United Kingdom and France be included, saying.
Explaining Russia’s position he said: “Further hypothetical reductions in this sphere are possible only if the corresponding arsenals of other countries are duly taken into account in this process. There are no gaps between any of the elements of our position. On the contrary, it is a coherent and very logical, long-standing position.”
Russia sees the need to renew the treaty, which expires on February 5, 2021, now, so as to give time to broaden the participation in future talks. [DEA]
