Improvement of Russian-U.S. relations now depends on Washington - Russian Deputy FM Ryabkov

MOSCOW. Dec 20 (Interfax) - Moscow is willing to normalize relations with Washington and has presented all the necessary proposals to it, and everything depends on political will now, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.

"As soon as Washington is prepared for this, we won't be long in coming. We [have presented] all the necessary proposals in various fields, from strategic stability to visas. There's nothing on their table that could be described as 'Russia's debt', none of this. Everything has been proposed to the Americans," Ryabkov told journalists in Moscow, when asked when relations between Russia and the U.S. could improve.

"Looks like they're confronted by a political choice they have to make. If they don't respond to our proposals or respond negatively to them, this means they're deliberately pursuing a line toward not improving our relations, preserving crisis factors, and fueling tensions. We can't agree with that. We're accustomed to working with a positive and constructive agenda. The proposal given to the U.S. and NATO shows yet again that this is how we're going to act," he said.

Asked what "the biggest debt" the U.S. owes Russia, Ryabkov replied, "Learning to see Russia as a partner with which it can and should maintain a mutually respectful dialogue and reach a consensus based on a balance of interests rather than through enforcing some of their lopsided schemes and presenting ultimatums."