U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev say they have succeeded in resetting their countries` relationship, which had drifted in recent years. The two leaders discussed trade and security at the White House Thursday.
Presidents Obama and Medvedev say the United States and Russia will broaden their cooperation on intelligence and counterterrorism, and have improved their economic ties.
Mr. Obama told reporters he and Mr. Medvedev have put their countries` relationship on a firmer footing, despite disagreeing about Russia`s tensions with Georgia.
`Our two countries continue to disagree on certain issues, such as Georgia, and we addressed those differences candidly,` he said. `But by moving forward in areas where we do agree, we have succeeded in resetting our relationship, which benefits regional and global security.`
The president said he and his counterpart have moved beyond only discussing the issues covered in most previous U.S.-Russian meetings.
`Because 20 years after the end of the Cold War, the U.S.-Russian relationship has to be about more than just security and arms control,` he said. `It has to be about our shared prosperity, and what we can build together.`
`United States and Russia still have differences on specific issues, like Georgia. We were open while discussing this proble , but we have succeeded in other sectors, where our positions coincide and this has helped us to restart our relations, which will in its turn facilitate regional and global security. It should be noted that this restart has already changed the attitude of Russian people towards the United States. This attitude broadens spheres of partnership between us,` Medvedev said.
White House released a special statement regarding the yesterday`s meeting of the world`s two leaders.
`The Obama Administration continues to have serious disagreements with the Russian government over Georgia. We continue to call for Russia to end its occupation of the Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and in parallel have worked with the Russian government to prevent further military escalations in the region. We have witnessed some incremental confidence building measures, such as opening the border at Verkhniy Lars and allowing direct charter flights between the two countries, and continue to press for the strengthening of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms and a return of international observers to the two occupied regions of Georgia.` the statement said.
