The United States intends to continue working with Russia on the most important issues despite the spying scandal, State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said on Wednesday.
Answering reporters' questions at a daily briefing, Crowley said Washington did not expect to take any additional steps, such as the expulsion of Russian diplomats.
Ten people were arrested by U.S. law enforcement on Sunday on suspicion of being part of an espionage ring. An 11th suspect was detained on Tuesday in Cyprus, but reports on Wednesday said police on the island were looking for him after he apparently jumped bail.
Both sides have said they do not expect the arrests to impact relations, which are at their highest level for years, as seen in the rapport between Presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama when they met in Washington last week.
"I do not believe that this will affect the reset of our relationship with Russia," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told a press briefing on Tuesday.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin expressed similar sentiments when he met former U.S. President Bill Clinton on Tuesday.
"I hope the positive developments that have accumulated recently will not be damaged," Putin said. "We hope people who cherish Russian-American relations understand this."
WASHINGTON, June 30 (RIA Novosti)
