MOSCOW (AP) — Former ambassadors of Washington and Moscow say the United States and Russia should leave behind their differences and focus on common interests and challenges such as Syria.
Their analyses came Tuesday at one of a series of events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic ties.
James Collins, the U.S. ambassador to Russia in 1997-2001, said “We really don’t see a reason … why Russia and the United States can’t find common purpose.”
He noted that Washington and Moscow are both uncertain about how to address the civil war in Syria. Russia has repeatedly blocked efforts to impose new U.N. sanctions on Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.