US diplomat frustrated by chilly Russia
Russia struggling to shake off cold war, US diplomat says
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Monday, 03, Nov 2008 12:52
Russia is shifting from cold war attitudes more slowly than the US would like, America's ambassador in Moscow has said.
John Beyrle was speaking two days before Russian president Dmitry Medvedev delivers his state of the nation address, which is expected to be dominated by confrontation rhetoric following this summer's armed conflict in Georgia.
US-Russian relations suffered a major setback when Russian troops intervened to help separatist province South Ossetia, which it subsequently recognised.
US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice subsequently said Russia's membership of the World Trade Organisation and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development were now in doubt as a result.
Mr Beyrle told the Interfax news agency that "the climate for compromises to be reached" has got "smaller for obvious reasons" following the Georgia crisis.
He said the US felt recognition had occurred "while emotions were running high" and reaffirmed his country's commitment to Georgia's territorial integrity.
While insisting the US does not feel threatened by Russia's military development Mr Beyrle hinted at frustration with Moscow's ongoing opposition to Nato's expansion to Georgia and Ukraine.
The issue will be decided by ministers next month and many in Russia fear such a move would have a disastrous impact on Russian relations with the Nato alliance.
He explained that although Nato was formed to deal with a Soviet military threat it had now "transformed itself" into an organisation which "is not strictly defence".
Mr Beyrle finished: "We understand that after a long cold war those attitudes, those perceptions may be changed slowly, more slowly than we would like, but we will continue to work with Russia inside of Nato and outside to bring them to a better understanding that expansion of the alliance poses no threat to Russia."