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Biden stresses importance of 'reset' in US-Russia ties
March-11-2011

The "reset" in relations between the United States and Russia is working, visiting U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden said in his speech at Moscow State University on Thursday.

"The reset is working, working for all of us, working for Russia and I would presumptuously say, working for the world," Biden was quoted as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency.

Biden cited statistics to show a warming-up in Russian-U.S. relations.

The number of Russians who see the United States positively has grown from 17 percent in December 2008 to more than 60 percent this year, he said.

In 2008, most Americans named Russia among the top five countries threatening the United States, while this year only two percent of Americans think of Russia as a potential threat, the U. S. vice president said.

The two countries are in a position to fundamentally change their mutual relations, he noted.

However, there is still a lot to do to strengthen bilateral cooperation in defense, security and other spheres, he said.

Biden urged Russian students to do everything possible to help improve the cooperation between their country and the United States.

Biden arrived in Moscow on Tuesday for a three-day official visit. He met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday and held talks with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Thursday.