MOSCOW, March 20 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President
Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday he hoped for a real fresh start
in relations with Washington after his first meeting with the
new U.S. leader on April 1.
Medvedev and Barack Obama are expected to meet in London a
day before G20 leaders meet to discuss ways of tackling the
global economic slump.
"We are counting on such a 'reset' and hope it will take
place," Medvedev told a Russian-U.S. panel in the Kremlin,
referring to the "symbolic" term used at a meeting between both
countries' foreign ministers earlier this month.
Relations between Russia and the United States have been
strained over Washington's plans to deploy missile bases in
Europe, NATO's expansion, and last year's war in Georgia.
Russia has expressed hope for improved ties with Obama,
who has said he may put the missile shield plans on hold.
Russia and the U.S. earlier agreed to start talks on a new
version of the START nuclear arms reduction treaty, which
expires in December.
"I hope this will be an extensive exchange of ideas on the
entire agenda of Russian-American relations and sensitive
international issues," Medvedev told the Russia-USA: A Look
into the Future group co-chaired by Henry A. Kissinger, the
former U.S. secretary of state.
Earlier this month, Medvedev received a delegation of
former U.S. senators, members of a bipartisan commission on
U.S.-Russia relations which was to make a report on their visit
to Obama ahead of his meeting with the Russian leader.
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