"Our concern was heard by the American party. At least in response to our concerns the USA yet intending to accomplish the work on the ABM third position area made important and useful proposals to be reviewed by us”, the Minister said. He added that the American party makes its proposals to relieve the concerns of Russia.
In so doing, according to Lavrov, Russia and USA are interested in joint solution of the ABM problem in cooperation with the European Union.
"As for the ABM shield, Russia and USA are interested in resolution of all problems in this sphere on the corporate and equal basis in cooperation with Europe” the Russian diplomat said.
At the same time, Russian Minister of Defense Anatoly Serdukov confirmed that principal stands of Russia and USA with respect to the deployment of the ABM systems in Eastern Europe did not change.
"The principal stands of the parties did not change although we heard once again oral declarations of the measures that we are to review. I hope that our experts will have the respective written proposals. Now we need to see, understand and review these measures (proposed by the USA)”, he said at the final press-conference.
"We are going to continue this work. In any case we retain our stands”, Russian Defense Minister added.
In turn, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that the USA will submit to Russia its written ABM proposals already this night.
"Sure, all matters that we have discussed should be documented in writing on the paper. The Russian party hasn’t received this paper yet but it will receive it this night”, he said.
Sergui Lavrov also claimed that in the near future Russia will give a reply on a possibility to provide logistic support to the Operation in Afghanistan.
"As for a decision on logistic support to the multinational operation conducted by the UNSC decision of Afghanistan in response to the respective requests of Brussels, we are discussing them now in the Defense and Foreign Ministries and expect that the reply will be given shortly”, Russian Foreign Ministers said.
Sergui Lavrov reminded that Russia repeatedly proposed to the NATO colleagues to complement this bilateral cooperation with the cooperation between NATO and Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
"It will significantly increase efficiency of fight against the drug and terror threat emanating from Afghanistan. I hope that in the foreseeable future we will get a constructive reply to our proposal”, Lavrov concluded.
The Minister also claimed that Russia considers it inadmissible to violate the international law in connection with the unilateral proclamation of independence by Kosovo.
"It is not a secret that the stands of Russia and USA (with respect to Kosovo) are opposite”, Lavrov said.
"Our stand is well-known. The gross violation of the international law in connection with unilateral proclamation of independence by Kosovo is inadmissible”, he emphasized.
"We warned that such step (unilateral proclamation of independence by Kosovo) inevitably will have consequences, and unfortunately, it has, because it is very difficult to impound in the illegally proclaimed state everybody who does not want to live there”, Sergui Lavrov said.
"And the fact that during many years after 1999 neither the rights of the Serbian minority in Kosovo, nor security of the Serbs, nor their freedom of travel was secured, affords grounds to expect a gloomy scenario when in the conditions of independent Kosovo these minorities feel themselves aliens in their own country”, Lavrov emphasized.
In turn, US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice urged all parties in Kosovo to refrain from violence and provocations.
"We agree that all parties should refrain from violence and provocations”, she said at the press-conference in Moscow.
She noted that the problem of Kosovo was on the agenda of this meeting as it was many times before.
"It is not a surprise that Russia and USA have opposite views on interpretation of the Ahtisaari’s plan”, Rice added.
She also claimed that the American party agreed to prepare a framework agreement between Russia and USA.
According to her, this agreement is not a treaty, it is a document that recognizes “a full scope of cooperation between Russia and USA” and provides the basis for Russian-American relations.
"We agreed on those elements that will be included in this agreement and that failed to be agreed for years. In particular, it is the war on nuclear terror and provision of access to nuclear fuel for the countries that want to use it for peaceful purposes”, the US State Secretary claimed.
She also added that the parties discussed future steps after the term of SALT-1 and Strategic Offensive Potentials Reduction Treaty expires.
"There are elements of accord, but we need to continue the discussion”, Rice concluded.
In turn, Russian Foreign Minister Sergui Lavrov claimed that the continuity in the Russian-American relations after the change of the presidents will be preserved.
"We agreed that the work we are doing will be continued in the Russian-American relations after the presidential transition in both countries”, he said.
