US President Barack Obama on Friday called Russian president-elect Vladimir Putin to congratulate him on his election win, despite earlier US concern over reported vote irregularities.
The call inaugurated a relationship that will decide the fate of “reset” US relations with the Kremlin, which the White House sees as a key foreign policy achievement heading into Obama’s re-election campaign.
The US president called the once and future Russian leader from Air Force One “to congratulate him on his recent victory in the Russian presidential election,” a White House statement said.
Photo: AFP
Obama “highlighted achievements in US-Russia relations over the past three years with [Russian] President [Dmitry] Medvedev, including cooperation on Afghanistan, the conclusion and ratification of the START agreement, Russia’s recent invitation to join the World Trade Organization and cooperation on Iran.”
Obama and Putin “agreed that the successful reset in relations should be built upon during the coming years” and the US leader said that he looked forward to hosting Putin at the G8 Summit in May at Camp David.
There was no mention in the statement of earlier US concern about the circumstances of Putin’s election.
Washington had called on Moscow to conduct an independent probe after foreign monitors had questioned whether the results of last Sunday’s election had been skewed in Putin’s favor.
The absence of comment on the conduct of the election may represent a realization of the importance of cordial relations between Washington and Moscow — to a host of major global issues — and a desire by the White House to get off on the right foot with Putin.
The two leaders also “agreed to continue discussions on areas where the United States and Russia have differed, including Syria and missile defense” and “to continue their efforts to find common ground and remove obstacles to better relations,” the White House said.
Putin’s return to power has raised questions whether the former KGB man’s abrasive approach and strident criticism of the US will begin to exert a toll on US-Russia relations. However, on Thursday, the White House said US policy towards Russia was based on interests and not personalities when asked whether Obama would be as friendly with Putin as he has been with Medvedev.
Meanwhile, Russia’s opposition activists faced a symbolic and strategic test yesterday with a planned protest rally in downtown Moscow that could show whether their movement is able to maintain its strength after Putin won a return to the Kremlin.
City authorities have given permission for a rally of up to 50,000 on Novy Arbat, a vast avenue lined by soaring 1960s skyscrapers. Against that backdrop, even a huge crowd could look diminished — and size is a critical issue for the opposition.
“If we achieve a growth in the protests, if 100,000 people come out, it means we can quickly get results. If there won’t be that number, it means that there will be longer-lasting work,” Sergei Udaltsov, one of the leaders of the recent wave of protests, was quoted as saying on Friday by the RIA Novosti news agency.
Opposition supporters are angered by reports of widespread vote fraud in the presidential election, and Udaltsov said the main slogan of the protest would be: “These weren’t elections. This isn’t a president.”
However, with Putin headed to a six-year term beginning in May, it is unclear whether the opposition has any significant leverage to exert.
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