Russian, US lawmakers agree to maintain dialogue

MOSCOW - Russian and US lawmakers agreed Tuesday to maintain inter-parliamentary dialogue as a step towards improving relations between the two countries.

"We agreed to do this on a continuous basis and not to take out the topics that are resonant and extremely important for us," Viacheslav Volodin, speaker of the Russian parliament's lower house State Duma, said after a meeting between Duma deputies and a visiting US congress delegation which arrived in Russia on Saturday.

His remarks were broadcast by the Russia 24 TV Channel.

Volodin said that the inter-parliamentary dialogue was extremely important, because it allowed Moscow and Washington "to remove issues that arose largely because of phobias and misunderstandings."

"Our meeting was productive and we have made a step to meet each other, which is especially important, as the relations between our countries are tense," said Richard Shelby, the head of the US delegation.

The senator from Alabama said that the dialogue between the Russian and US lawmakers was "very long and honest."

Shelby said he hoped that the future summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump on July 16 in Finland's capital Helsinki will make the US-Russian relations rosier.

The delegation also met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Lavrov and the US delegation had exchanged views on the current state and prospect of bilateral relations as well as the upcoming summit in Helsinki.

Particular attention was paid to the possibilities of restoring contacts through the legislative bodies, the statement said.

The parties also touched upon some international and regional issues, it said.