Biden says time to repair relations with Russia

[February 07, 2009]  MUNICH, Germany (AP) -- Vice President Joe Biden says it's time to repair the rift in relations between the U.S. and Russia.

Biden told a gathering of world leaders here that NATO and Russia should cooperate to defeat the Taliban and al-Qaida. But he warns that the U.S. will continue to have differences with Moscow, including opposition to its efforts to carve out independent states in Georgia.

Biden's comments come just days after Kyrgyzstan (KEER'-gih-stan) announced it will shut down American access to the Manas air base, which the U.S. uses to resupply troops in Afghanistan. The decision came when Kyrgyzstan's president was visiting Moscow, hours after securing more than $2 billion in loans and aid from Russia.

[Associated Press; By LOLITA C. BALDOR]

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