CHICAGO, November 5. /TASS/. Russia’s US ambassador, Anatoly Antonov, said on Saturday he would raise the issue of restoring Russian-US security and defense ties during his meetings with top US administration officials.
The Russian envoy told reporters on the sidelines of the Russian-American Scientists Association (RASA-USA) congress in Chicago that those meetings are to take place soon.
"I’m meeting with secretaries of the incumbent administration soon, and I’m looking forward to those meetings. I would like to raise the issue that the time has come to restore the former level of contacts at least at the level of security chiefs," he said.
"I think that a meeting between our defense ministers would be right. They have lots of issues to discuss," the diplomat said, adding that the Russian defense ministry is still ready for contacts and cooperation with the Pentagon.
"If such contacts take place and if they lead to cooperation, there will be fewer terrorist attacks and fewer people will die," Antonov added.
He went on to say that cooperation and exchange of intelligence data among Russian and US special services is to benefit both states and needs to be enhanced and improved.
"I think that cooperation of this kind is necessary, it will benefit both Russia and the United States," he said, adding that Moscow would like to see those contacts becoming "wider, deeper and more efficient.".