Russia would be ready to work with any U.S. administration on strategic issues like non-proliferation, counter-terrorism, and peaceful uses of nuclear energy, he said.

“We are not interested in bad relations with the United State

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s," Lavrov said. "It wouldn't be our choice, but if the United States does not want to cooperate with us on one or another issue, we cannot impose."

“We acted [in the Caucasus] because we had no other choice," Lavrov said. "We had no other choice [than] to ensure not just the security of Abkhazians and South Ossetians, but their very survival. Georgia, too, many times in its history, including very recent history, tried to basically eliminate these people."

He also rejected claims of certain politicals about the alleged Russian plans to encroach on territorial integrity of Ukraine or the Baltic republics. “We do not intend to raise the question of territorial integrity of either nation,” he said.

NEW YORK, September 5 (Itar-Tass)