(Itar-Tass) - Moscow and Washington understand the need for stepped-up efforts to implement understandings and to minimize differences on some questions, said on Tuesday Russian Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov.
"We are satisfied with the development of relations," he noted. "Both sides have an unequivocal understanding for boosting effort on the achieved agreements and for minimising differences on some issues." "This is natural between great powers," he added.
Lavrov noted that the last meeting in the "two-plus-two" format was held "slightly less than six months ago where the sides agreed, on instructions from the presidents, to continue work in this format so as to
push forward strategic partnership". "We value this format," the Russian minister continued.
"This was also confirmed by the telephone talk between the Russian and US presidents." He noted that "President Bush called Dmitry Medvedev three days before the talks, and they reached an understanding on ensuring continuity in all directions of partnership, including military-technical cooperation, the sphere of international relations as well as economic and humanitarian relations".
For her part, US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice added that the format of "two-plus-two" meetings had proved its positive nature. She expressed confidence that the discussion in Moscow would be also positive
and fruitful. The state secretary noted that the two presidents had a telephone talk; besides, Bush sent a letter to Moscow, she added.
She stated that the sides would conduct more painstaking work on strengthening partnership. The sides will accentuate spheres where there is agreement and will explore questions where there are disagreements, she
concluded.