Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that Russia and the U.S. should establish a new-type relationship of mutual coordination and cooperation in key strategic issues.
In building up relations with the U.S., Russia does not pursueinstantaneous advantages, but strictly acts in accordance with itsnational interests, Putin told representatives form leading U.S. media in Kremlin on Saturday evening.
"Of course, Russia hopes for a certain change in the U.S. policies toward it and, judging by what we hear, this change is possible," said Putin, who will pay his first official visit to the U.S. next week.
"When we take this or that step in international policies, we do not expect approval from the U.S. or from anywhere else in the West. We make decisions that meet Russia's national interests," said Putin, whose such words have been published on the official web site at http://www.president.kremlin.ru/.
He expressed the hope that Russia and the U.S. will regard each other as a reliable and stable partner in the future relationship.
The new relationship between the two countries, born in the struggle against international terrorism, will give rise to new relations in other spheres, as well, and make Russia become "a reliable and predictable partner" for the U.S., he said.
Russia is doing a great deal to support the anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan, including opening air corridors and supplying "very valuable intelligence" to the allies, Putin noted.
On U.S. approach to Central Asia states, Putin said Russia is not afraid of the U.S. developing relations with these countries, as Russia has traditional relations with those countries and "mutual influence on one another."
Those countries are "independent states, and they independently make their choice," but Russia and its Central Asianpartners display "coordinated and agreed positions" on regional and international issues.
On Russian-NATO ties, Putin said that Russia and NATO have mutual interest in a qualitative change of their relations and Russia is interested in promoting cooperation with NATO.
( Xinhua News Agency 11/11/2001)
