US, Russia Can Reduce Political Tensions Through People-to-People Dialogue - Antonov

SAN FRANCISCO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th October, 2018) The United States and Russia can ease the crisis between their political elites by building and promoting people-to-people contacts, Russian Ambassador Anatoly Antonov said in remarks at the biannual Fort Ross Dialogue in San Francisco, California.

"The crisis in relations between the political elites can and should be [eased] by the development and strengthening of contacts between ordinary people who have withstood the clashes of media wars," Antonov said on Monday.

Antonov pointed out the importance of having such communications particularly among young people as their minds have been less influenced by the social constraints of past generations.

The ambassador noted that relations between the Unite States and Russia have steadily drifted into a crisis mode over the recent years, and efforts to restore normal communication will take long time, careful maneuvering and establishing new foundations for cooperation.

Antonov called on Washington and Moscow to work toward creating a favorable environment for rebuilding bilateral ties in order not to ruin "what little is left" in relations between the two countries.

The Fort Ross Dialogue is an independent forum that has been held since 2012. The forum is sponsored by Chevron, Transneft and Sovcomflot.

The Fort Ross Dialogue is held against the backdrop of Fort Ross, a 19th-century fort complex built by Russian pioneers on the West Coast in what is now Sonoma County. The fort and the nearby Russian Orthodox cemetery with 131 identified graves are part of a state park registered as a US national historic landmark.