#4 - RW 11-12-04 - RW Home
WILL BUSH CHANGE POLICY ON RUSSIA?

WASHINGTON, November 11 (RIA Novosti's Arkady Orlov) - According to a press release from the US State Department, yesterday during a press conference at the US Embassy in Tallinn, Elizabeth Jones, US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, said she did not expect the United States to alter its policy on Russia during President Bush's second term.

She said she did not think the policy would change and added that in its dialogue with Moscow, Washington continued to stress the significance of constructive interaction with Russia on all important issues.

She said it was very important for the US to constructively cooperate in the fight against terrorism and that it was especially important for Russia after Beslan.

Speaking on the urgent need for the two countries to join efforts in tackling a wide spectrum of issues, Ms. Jones said it was important for Russia to constructively cooperate with the US in settling such problems as South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Transdniestria, and Nagorny Karabakh.

Ms. Jones said that the US-Russia dialogue should include Chechnya, freedom of the press, the priority of law and democracy.

She said the US would insist that each of these issues be discussed as often as possible with Russia.