MOSCOW. Dec 27 (Interfax) - Russia hopes to build constructive dialogue with the new U.S. administration and jointly move forward as part of efforts to settle the Syrian and Ukrainian crises, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
"We hope that we will be able to build a pragmatic dialogue. But, for a start, it is necessary to resume interdepartmental communication, which was curtailed almost completely. We had the bilateral Presidential Commission, which gave a very good account of itself and which included 21 working groups engaged in a wide range of avenues of cooperation. But Washington 'froze' its work in March 2014," Lavrov told Interfax.
"If the U.S. is ready for constructive interaction, we, beyond any doubt, are able to not only move forward in resolving bilateral issues, but also make a significant joint contribution to overcoming acute global and regional problems, certainly including the settlement of the Syria and Ukrainian crises. The prerequisites needed for that exist," the minister said.
"Serious efforts will be required in order to overcome the heaviest damage caused to relations under Barack Obama," Lavrov said.
"Probably, it is premature to say today how work will proceed on concrete issues with the Republican team. In any case, it is necessary to wait for the inauguration [of U.S. President-elect Donald] Trump on January 20 next year and wait until the heads of the agencies in charge of national security and external affairs take office. It will be possible to draw long-term conclusions when we establish official contacts with the new administration and see its practical steps," the Russian foreign minister said.