MOSCOW, November 10. /TASS/. Former USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev has issued a call to the leaders of the United States and Russia to stay away from the attempts to outmaneuver each other and to conduct dialogue instead. He said it on Wednesday in a comment on the results of November 8 presidential election in the US.
"Presidents are capable of resolving the problems that crop up and to offer responses to the challenges that exist," Gorbachev said according to the press release of the Gorbachev Fund. "There should be no outmaneuvering each other because this is unacceptable." "Politicians should put an end to an approach of this kind," he said.
Gorbachev singled out relations between Russia and the US and expressed disappointment with a failure "to use the unique chances that had appeared after the end of the Cold War and the arms race and with the start of improvements in bilateral relations." "Unprecedented opportunities existed at the time but still we can use even now the chance we lost then," he said.
"Our relations must begin with a serious political dialogue," Gorbachev added. "It’s important to take account of the interests of all sides and to make appropriate conclusions. This will predestine the situation inside our countries and relations in the world."
He called for "stopping those who stand in the ways of improving relations" between Russia and the US and "improving the global situation."
"I drew conviction from my own experience that all of this is achievable," Gorbachev said. "But let’s say once again that relations must be built on the basis of mutually beneficial cooperation and consultations."
"It is important to move towards meeting each other halfway and to take account of the requirements of our countries and the world community on the whole," he said. "I know Russia is prepared to this. If the new US leaders feel this, then we will be able to attain real long-term decisions."