Putin Gives Up on Bush, Complicating Iran, North Korea Efforts

[DogPoundPup]

Source: Bloomberg

Sept. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Russia is intent on mending ties with the U.S. once President George W. Bush leaves the office on Jan. 20, prompting unprecedented interest in this year's presidential campaign, its UN ambassador said in an interview.

In the meantime, Russia is unlikely to back new efforts to curtail the nuclear ambitions of Iran and North Korea.

``There has been a standard in the history of Soviet and now Russian-American relations of common wisdom that there is not much difference between administrations; now that is not the case,'' said Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, the last spokesman for the Soviet Union's foreign ministry.

``The problem is there'' because of the dispute over Russian actions in Georgia, Churkin added before today's start of speeches by world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly. ``But I don't think there is irreversible damage. We do not want to see our formats of cooperation disrupted.''



Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ablo4iRCTYGw&refer=worldwide

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excerpt~
While Churkin wouldn't express a preference, polling shows that Russians overwhelmingly favor Obama. Both candidates have condemned Russia over the August war, which followed Georgia's attempt to retake the pro-Moscow breakaway region of South Ossetia.

Obama has expressed support for engaging adversaries with diplomacy and handling world problems with a multilateral approach. McCain, meanwhile, has taken a harder line against Moscow, declaring ``we are all Georgians'' at one point and calling for Russia's eviction from the Group of Eight industrial nations. McCain has also proposed a ``league of democracies'' that would supplement UN efforts.

[Mojorabbit]

1. Great article. Thanks! nt

[uppityperson]

2. I bet a lot of countries and people are looking forward to mending ties. Thanks for the article. k&r