Russia Refuses To Meet With U.S. on Iranian Nuclear Program
September 24, 2008 by national
Filed under Stories of Interest
Russia Refuses To Meet With U.S. on Iranian Nuclear Program. Not a good sign considering their erecent military deployments.
From The New York Times
Russia said on Tuesday that it would not participate in a meeting with the United States this week to discuss Iran’s nuclear program, the most significant indication yet of how Russia’s war with Georgia has spoiled relations regarding other security issues.
Russia’s move apparently effectively scuttled the meeting.
The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a biting statement that criticized remarks last week by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who declared that Russia had taken “a dark turn” away from democracy and respect for international norms.
“We would very much like Washington, in the end, to make up its mind what kind of relations they want with Moscow,” a ministry spokesman, Andrei Nesterenko, said in the statement. “If they want to punish Russia, that is one thing,” he said. “If they agree that we have common interests that need to be jointly advanced, then that’s another.”
Sean McCormack, the State Department spokesman, said in a press briefing on Tuesday that the decision to cancel the meeting was mutual and not a game of tit for tat with the Russians. “We agree with them the time is not right to have a meeting at the ministerial level,” he said.
