Russia expects more active intelligence data exchange with US, says intel chief

MOSCOW, June 10. /TASS/. Moscow is hoping for more active interaction with Washington on the exchange of intelligence data, Director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Sergey Naryshkin told TASS on Thursday.

Russia’s foreign intelligence chief thus responded to a question about the current state of interaction between the Russian and US special services.

The SVR chief said that he expected to meet with the Head of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) William Burns sooner or later.

"Now, the new leadership, the new administration of the White House has come to power, and new President Joe Biden has been elected. He has appointed a very reputable specialist in international affairs, a person who knows this matter, Mr. Burns as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He is apparently getting acquainted with his competencies and the state of affairs. I expect that our meeting will take place sooner or later, and the interaction in the form of the mutual exchange of intelligence information will also continue more actively," he said.

Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service and the CIA have never ceased partnership interaction, Naryshkin stressed.

"We exchange information that is of interest to us and primarily relates to such issues as the fight against international terrorism. Another thing is that this interaction is either more or less active in different periods and in different years," the SVR chief pointed out.

The level of interaction is also characterized by the contacts at the level of the heads of special services, Naryshkin said.

"I must say that when Mike Pompeo was appointed to the post of director of the Central Intelligence Agency in 2017, I repeatedly communicated with him, my counterpart, over the phone as well, and he also visited the Foreign Intelligence Service. My colleagues and I visited the Central Intelligence Agency, and I can repeat the following: the contacts and cooperation at that time were at a higher level," he said.

"When Gina Haspel was appointed to the post, the level of interaction somewhat decreased. I did not meet with her and did not communicate with her even over the phone," Naryshkin said.