Obama: ‘We Must End Cold War Mistrust’
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11:43am UK, Tuesday July 07, 2009
US President Barack Obama in Moscow has called for America and Russia to overcome Cold War mistrust and forge a true global partnership.
Mr Obama at the New Economic School graduation ceremony in Moscow
“America wants a strong, peaceful and prosperous Russia,” Mr Obama said to graduates from the capital’s New Economic School.
“…on the fundamental issues that will shape this century, Americans and Russians share common interests that form a basis for co-operation.”
The pursuit of power is no longer a zero-sum game – progress must be shared.
Barack Obama in Moscow
The US leader called on Russia to join America to halt the spread of nuclear weapons and to prevent North Korea and Iran from developing them.
Success here, he added, would mean Washington no longer needed to deploy an anti-missile system in Europe, a plan strongly opposed by the Kremlin.
“If the threat from Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programme is eliminated, the driving force for missile defence in Europe will be eliminated,” Mr Obama said.
He insisted “the pursuit of power is no longer a zero-sum game – progress must be shared”.
“That is why I have called for a ‘reset’ in relations between the United States and Russia,” Mr Obama said.
“It must be a sustained effort among the American and Russian people to identify mutual interests and to expand dialogue and co-operation that can pave the way to progress.”
Mr Obama and Mr Putin
He was careful not to criticise the Kremlin leadership directly, repeatedly saying the United States did not seek to impose any system of government on another country.
But Mr Obama did say “governments which serve their own people survive and thrive, governments which serve only their own power do not”.
The message is likely to resonate with Russia’s embattled pro-Western opposition, which criticises the Kremlin for suppressing democracy.
Earlier, Mr Obama praised Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin – as the two leaders met for the first time.
The encounter had been overshadowed by Mr Obama’s criticism of Mr Putin last week, in a pre-trip interview, as a man with one foot stuck in the past.
The PM said, looking down and mostly avoiding eye contact with Mr Obama, said there had been periods of greyish mood and confrontation in US-Russia relations.
But the Russian PM added: “We link hopes for development of our relationship with your name.”
admin @ July 7, 2009