Kremlin Denounces 'Inadmissible' Romney Threat
Russian President Vladimir Putin's chief spokesman on Friday denounced as "inadmissible" a threat by Republican White House challenger Mitt Romney to take a tougher line with Moscow.
"Moscow and Washington have at various levels repeatedly stressed... that it is inadmissible to have situations in which bilateral relations turn into the victim and hostage of election campaigns," Dmitry Peskov told RIA Novosti.
U.S. President Barack Obama's rival used a part of his presidential nomination address Thursday to attack the Democrats for pursuing a "reset" with Russia that rewarded it for adopting further nuclear weapons cuts.
Republican conservatives argue that the strategy has backfired because it allowed the Kremlin to crack down on its political opponents without facing much criticism from Washington for most of the past four years.
Romney also criticized Obama for abandoning part of a European missile defense shield that Russia has strongly opposed and which was promoted earlier by his Republican predecessor.
"He abandoned our friends in Poland by walking away from our missile defense commitments, but is eager to give Russia's President Putin the flexibility he desires, after the election," Romney said in a speech.
An open microphone in March caught Obama telling his then-counterpart Dmitry Medvedev that he needed more political "flexibility" on defense issues from Russia until after the November vote.
"Under my administration, our friends will see more loyalty, and Mr. Putin will see a little less flexibility and more backbone," Romney said.
Putin's spokesman noted that Russia did not view Romney's comments as Washington's official position and would continue working to improve ties in the months to come.
"As the head of state has repeatedly said, Russia has been and will continue being interested in further developing Russia-U.S. relations," Peskov said.
Source: Agence France Presse
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/51944 |