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Senator McCain criticizes 'reset' in U.S.-Russia relations

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U.S. Senator John McCain said on Friday that the U.S. administration should not be overly enthusiastic about "resetting" relations with Russia because Moscow and Washington do not share common interests or values.

U.S. Senator John McCain said on Friday that the U.S. administration should not be overly enthusiastic about "resetting" relations with Russia because Moscow and Washington do not share common interests or values.

Russia-U.S. relations improved after incumbent U.S. President Barack Obama came into office in 2009 and then visited Russia. In April 2010, Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a pact to replace the START 1 strategic arms reduction treaty which expired on December 5.

"What we need most now is a greater sense of realism about Russia - about the recent history of our relationship, about the substantial limitations on Russian power, about the divergences in U.S. and Russian interests, and about the lack of shared values between our governments," McCain said in a speech at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

The senator from Arizona, who lost the 2008 election campaign to Obama, said attempts by previous U.S. administrations to improve or "reset" relations with Russia had always resulted in a failure because of Moscow's devious diplomacy.

McCain cited the most recent example of a brief conflict between Russia and Georgia, when Russia allegedly invaded a part of Georgia in August 2008 only four months after Washington and Moscow agreed to work on building partner relations.

He also cited continuing disagreements with Russia on missile defenses in Europe, Russia's overwhelming superiority in tactical nuclear weapons, differing approaches to open energy markets, Russia's poor human rights record and "frigid" business climate.

"We need to stop overstating the successes of our cooperation. And we need to begin dealing with Russia more as the modest power it is, not the great power it once was," McCain said.

McCain has consistently held a tough stance on Russia. He has been known to call Russia Prime Minister Vladimir Putin a "totalitarian dictator" and was quick to side with Georgia during the country's short war with Russia in 2008.

The senator recently called on the international community not to hastily push through Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

WASHINGTON, December 11 (RIA Novosti)

 

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