MOSCOW – President Barack Obama, working to drastically reshape U.S. relations with a skeptical Russia, said Tuesday the two countries are not "destined to be antagonists."
"The pursuit of power is no longer a zero-sum game," Obama said, speaking in the Russian capital to graduates of theNew Economic School but also hoping to reach the whole nation. "Progress must be shared."
Obama used his speech to further define his view of theUnited States' placein the world and, specifically, to argue that his country shares compelling interests with Russia.
"Let me be clear: America wants a strong, peaceful and prosperous Russia," he declared.
His upbeat comments came on the second day of his summit in Russia, where polls show people are wary of the United States and taking a skeptical measure of Obama himself. Leaders in both countries are open about having to rebuild relations that fell off badly last year.
Obama said the interests of Russia and the United States generally coincide in five key areas: halting the spread ofnuclear weapons, confronting violent extremists, ensuring economic prosperity, advancing the rights of people and fostering cooperation without jeopardizing sovereignty.
But he also sprinkled in challenges to Russia on its own soil, particularly in the area of democracy. U.S. officials are wary of Russia's increasingly hard-line stand on dissent.
"Independent media have exposed corruption at all levels of business and government," Obama said about his nation. "Competitive elections allow us to change course. ... If our democracy did not advance those rights, I as a person of African ancestry wouldn't be able to address you as an American citizen, much less a president."
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
MOSCOW (AP) — President Barack Obama has already met with Russian leaders and now he's speaking directly to the Russian people.
In a speech Tuesday atMoscow's New Economic School, the president said any "reset" in U.S.-Russian relations requires understanding and cooperation, not just between leaders but between the peoples of the two nations.
Obama pointed to U.S.-Russian cooperation in the past — most notably in World War II. And he says the two countries must work on common goals going forward. He said those include stopping the spread of nuclear weapons, fighting terrorism and strengthening the global economy.
It's all part of Obama's effort to win over people in a country where he still is viewed with skepticism.
From : http://news.yahoo.com
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