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Moscow cancels new round of strategic consultations with US

An ambassador accuses Washington of hampering cyber security consultations with Moscow

WASHINGTON, March 2. /TASS/. Washington has wrecked cybersecurity consultations with Moscow, Russian ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov told TASS Thursday, adding that as a result Moscow has found it impossible to organize a new round of talks on strategic stability.

"We have expressed indignation to the Department of State that the American side has wrecked Russian-American expert consultations on global information security. Earlier it was agreed to conduct them in Geneva on February 27-28. Russia’s inter-agency delegation already arrived in Switzerland. The Americans refused to participate in the event just on its first day under the pretext of absolutely ungrounded accusations against Russia," he said.

According to Antonov, Moscow considers this move to be "another unfriendly step made by the US, which gave an impression of a preplanned act leading to further degradation of bilateral relations."

"As a result of those US’ actions, the Russian side has found it impossible to hold Russian-American consultations on bilateral issues and strategic stability topics planned for March 6-7 in Vienna, which is why he have postponed them," the diplomat said.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and US Under-Secretary of State Thomas Shannon are negotiating strategic stability and pressing bilateral issues.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and US Under-Secretary of State Thomas Shannon are negotiating strategic stability and pressing bilateral issues.