The press center of RIA Novosti today hosted a round-table discussion "US-Russian relations in the context of Snowden's case." Russian academics and political experts talked about how Russia's decision to grant temporary asylum to fugitive ex-CIA officer Edward Snowden could affect relations between the Russian Federation and the United States. Among the experts were the director general of the Center for Political Information Alexei Mukhin, Deputy Dean of the Department of World Politics, MSU Andrei Sidorov, historian and political scientist Alexander Fomenko, consultant director of RISS Vladimir Kozin and expert of the Russian Council on International Affairs, Associate Professor of Department of World Politics, MSU Vladimir Bartenev.
The experts agreed that no significant damage to relations between the two countries will be seen. Alexei Mukhin said that "the case of Snowden" is purely speculative in nature and, therefore, cannot be an indicator of relations between Russia and the United States. "It is clear that the American establishment was agitated about it because Russia refused to directly fulfil the desires of the United States. Clearly, for America, Mr. Snowden has value as a witness, and in this role ... he is a very strong factor of concern for the American establishment but not more than that," Mukhin explained.
Mukhin also noted that recent US-Russian relations have been developing in a positive and progressive manner. "Joint ventures and tolerance of America on the Russian Arctic shelf, in fact, predict a very good and promising future. Perhaps that is why when President Vladimir Putin learned that Mr Snowden lingered at Sheremetyevo airport, he commented on the case with irritation," the expert suggested.
