U.S. Diplomat Comments on Russia, Georgia

U.S. diplomats had ?very productive discussions? with Russia about issues relating to Georgia and Moldova, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Dan Fried said on May 16.

?I find these conversations useful. We don’t want to see these situations spiral into violence. I have seen recently signs of, well, some very constructive steps by the Russians,? he told journalists in Brussels after visiting Moscow.
 
He noted the Russian Foreign Ministry?s criticism of the authorities in breakaway South Ossetia over an incident involving threats to peacekeepers and unarmed OSCE observers.

?The Russians know perfectly well that we have consistently urged the Georgians to find only peaceful and diplomatic solutions to these problems, and in no cases to resort to violence or adventurism. And although it’s clear that the Russians have some suspicions about U.S. motives, we are able to sustain a very useful dialogue. We intend to do so,? Fried said.

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