Rice rejects suggestions concerning U.S.-Russian ties

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Sunday rejected any suggestion that U.S. efforts to build closer ties to this former Soviet republic are meant to undermine Russian influence in Central Asia.

“This is not a zero-sum game,” she told reporters flying with her to the Kazakh capital. U.S. gains need not mean Russian losses, she said.

“First of all, Kazakhstan is an independent country. It can have friendships with whomever it wishes,” she said. “That’s perfectly acceptable in the 21st century, so we don’t see and don’t accept any notion of a special sphere of influence” for Russia in this region.

Later at a joint news conference with her Kazakh counterpart, Foreign Minister Marat Tazhin, Rice said no one should question Kazakhstan’s desire to have good relations with all countries in its region.

“This is not some kind of contest for the affection of Kazakhstan,” Rice said.

-From Associated Press reports