...

Russia's new ambassador to U.S. meets Bush

Other News Materials 18 September 2008 14:10 (UTC +04:00)

Russia's new ambassador to the United States, Sergei Kislyak, met President George Bush, the Russian embassy said on Thursday, reported RIA Novosti.

During the meeting the Russian ambassador, a career diplomat since 1977, presented his credentials to the U.S. president and expressed hope that the United States and Russia would manage to overcome current difficulties.

Earlier Kislyak also met U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, where they discussed recent problems in Russian-U.S. relations, acknowledging, however, that there were many areas where both sides were capable of working together.

The Russian ambassador expressed his readiness to work with his "U.S. colleagues" to advance bilateral relations and said the quality of Russian-U.S. relations was critical to a good international climate.

Sergei Kislyak, 57, a former deputy foreign minister and Moscow's representative in the Iranian nuclear talks, was named Russia's new ambassador to the United States in July replacing Yury Ushakov.

Ushakov, who held the post for almost nine years, quit as Russian ambassador in June and joined the government staff under new Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Kislyak also served as the Soviet envoy to the United Nations and the U.S. He headed the ministry's security and disarmament department from 1995-1998, and served as ambassador to Belgium and NATO from 1998-2003.

Washington appointed a new ambassador to Russia, career diplomat John Beyrle, 54, in early July.

Latest

Latest