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Russia fine with US presence in former Soviet states
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-07-09 15:13

Russia does not oppose US presence in former Soviet countries as long as that does not damage Moscow's own interests, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview.


Russia does not oppose US presence in former Soviet countries as long as that does not damage Moscow's own interests, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. [AFP]
"In our talks with the Americans we stress... that we don't want to turn the whole CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) into an area of rivalry. We are not saying that we don't want them to go there," Lavrov told the daily Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

Moscow welcomes an American presence in the former Soviet republics if that presence "contributes to resolving conflict so that we get rid of the sources of terrorism and the tension towards Russia, to create a more amicable country," he said.

But "if the objective of such a presence is not clear to us, then questions will arise and we will demand explanations," the minister said.

The growing US influence in the former Soviet republics, notably in the Caucasus, has provoked hostile reactions among Russians.

To the question of whether Washington is a partner, an ally or a rival, Lavrov replied: "I would say a partner. But that doesn't mean it can't also be a rival."

"Competition for opportunities, in business, for investment... always exists everywhere, even between partners and allies," he said.

We "are partners in the fight against terrorists. Perhaps we are even allies in this area. We are partners in the fight against the proliferation of arms of mass destruction," Lavrov added.



 
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