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US/Russia - Obama speech
Back west on Iran and North Korea nukes, Obama tells Moscow
Article published on the 2009-07-07 Latest update 2009-07-07 14:15 TU
Obama starts his speech
(Photo: Reuters)
US president Barack Obama called on Russia to co-operate with the US and its allies on the standoffs over the Iranian and North Korean nuclear programmes, in a keynote speech in Moscow Tuesday. He also said that Russia must respect the sovereignty of Georgia and Ukraine as Nato plans to expand on Russia's doorstep.
The challenges facing the modern world "demand global partnership and that partnership will be stronger if Russia occupies its rightful place as a great power", Obama said, in a speech at Moscow's New Economic School on Tuesday.
He promised a new phase in relations between the two countries but made it clear that the Us will not back down on key policies, including its plans for a missile defence shield in eastern Europe.
"Neither America nor Russia would benefit from a nuclear arms race in east Asia or the Middle East, he said and appealed to Moscow to back the US and Europe in their efforts to limit Iran and North Korea's nuclear programmes.
"That," he said, "is why we should be united in opposing North Korea's efforts to become a nuclear power, and preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon."
Russia has strong ties with Iran, which the US accuses of trying to obtain nuclear weapons.
Obama also spoke of Russia's relationship with Georgia and Ukraine, saying that “state sovereignty must be a cornerstone of international order”.
“Any system that cedes those rights will lead to anarchy," he added. "That must apply to all nations, including Georgia and Ukraine.”
In August, 2008 Russia and Georgia fought a brief war that concluded with Russian forces routing Georgian troops fighting in the seperatists regions of South Osetia and Abkhazia. Moscow shortly thereafter recognised the two separatist regions as independent countries. The US has never considered them seperate countries
Ukraine, for its part, is looking to join Nato and the European Union, a move that has always concerned Russian leaders who do not want the military alliance in their sphere of influence.
