Moscow – The Kremlin voiced disappointment Wednesday with President Barack Obama’s decision to cancel his Moscow summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but said it remains ready to cooperate with the United States on bilateral and international issues.
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Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, told reporters that Obama’s decision reflected America’s inability to develop relations with Moscow on an “equal basis.”
At the same time, he said that the invitation to the U.S. president to visit Moscow next month still stands and added that “Russian representatives are ready to continue working together with American partners on all key issues on the bilateral and multilateral agenda.”
The cancellation of the summit underscores U.S. dismay over Russia’s harboring of National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, as well as disagreements on other key issues, such as missile defense and Russia’s human rights record.
Snowden, an NSA systems analyst accused of leaking highly secretive details about the agency’s surveillance programs, first fled from the U.S. to Hong Kong, then made his way to Russia. He was stuck in the transit zone of a Moscow airport for more than a month before Russia granted him asylum last week.
Ushakov reiterated the Kremlin’s argument that Russia had no choice but to offer asylum to Snowden in the absence of a bilateral extradition agreement. Snowden has been given asylum for one year, with the possibility of extension.
“This decision is clearly linked to the situation with former agent of U.S. special services (Edward) Snowden, which hasn’t been created by us,” Ushakov said in a conference call with reporters.
He sought to turn the tables on the U.S., accusing it of stonewalling on Russia’s proposal to sign a bilateral extradition agreement.
“For many years, the Americans have avoided signing an extradition agreement,” he said. “And they have invariably responded negatively to our requests for extradition of people who committed crimes on the territory of Russia, pointing at the absence of such agreement.”
Lawmakers in the Kremlin-controlled Parliament were less diplomatic.
“If they postpone or cancel meetings over the refusal to extradite one person, international relations will freeze,” ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti. “Obama’s decision is a show of disrespect to Russia.”
Communist Ivan Melnikov said that “Obama’s move has proven that we did everything right.”
“The CIA doesn’t want to be put to shame and look like a loser? It’s their problem,” he said, according to Interfax.
Obama adjusted his socks while talking to Putin? That’s manners! I’m sure Putin weighed the possibility of Obama cancelling his visit when asylum was granted to Snowden but he figured it was worth sticking his finger in Obama’s eye at the cost of a meeting with him.
so I guess they are playing cats and dogs…
The right thing to do, Mr. president.
No worries, Snowden will live the rest of his miserable (short) life looking over his shoulder! We’ll get him, one way or the other!
His high treasonous actions won’t go unpunished, rest assured.
As for the Russkies, ultimately they need us far more than we need them!
And Obama told us that Bush diplomacy has hurt the way American’s are viewed in the world.
Over and over we are seeing the failure of Liberal beliefs. The liberals will have you believe their way is better. Their economic, social, and international policies have hurt us immensely.
There are plenty of Asylim seekers all over the world and in the USA, no reason for the USA to act like a child over it.
As MIKE SAVAGE suggested, the USA should now talk to Poland about putting air defenses there against Russia.
I very much doubt that Putin wass disappointed I’m sure he expected it to come. I’m just worried whether or not they will now start a cat and mouse shpiel e
This entire story must be in error…for didn’t we learn earlier today from the Slap in Your Face for WHOM that “…Putin could care less if he sees Obama face to face or not.”
I am sure putin and the rest of the kremlin could not care less about obama.
they dont take him serious.
I guess when he told medyeveh (sorry on the spelling) he would be more flexible it kind of showed no back bone.
1st good thing u did Mr Obama, let Putin go fly a kite and screw himself
Reply to 1. He wasn’t adjusting his socks; that’s where he keeps his money when he doesn’t trust the company