MOSCOW, December 20 (RIA Novosti) – Russia considers there to be no pause in its relations with the United States and is ready to receive US President Barack Obama at any time, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told RIA Novosti in an exclusive interview.
“Our invitation extended to President Obama to visit Russia is, of course, still valid,” Lavrov said Friday.
In August, Obama canceled a visit to Moscow scheduled to take place ahead of his trip to a G20 summit in St. Petersburg the following month.
The cancellation came days after Russia’s decision to grant temporary asylum to American Edward Snowden, a former security contractor wanted for exposing state secrets.
Obama said that the United States would “pause and reassess” its relations with Russia, citing a rise in official anti-American rhetoric and a lack of cooperation on international issues such as human rights.
However, Lavrov said Friday that “I have honestly not noticed any pause.”
“Yes, we certainly regret that … due to the emotions surrounding the Snowden case there was a decision to postpone the agreed-upon visit to Moscow on the eve of the St. Petersburg summit,” Lavrov said.
He added that continued Russian-American dialogue has recently led to further cooperation in space and on nuclear security issues.
Lavrov noted that while Obama canceled his visit, “John Kerry and I have established some kind of world record, because in less than one year since he was appointed as secretary of state, we have met 15 times for substantive discussions.”
