U.S. Restricting Russian Steel Imports May Cloud Relations

According to the PR Department of the Foreign Ministry of Russia, it expressed to the U.S. Ambassador Alexander Vershbow the concern of Russia's government as relates to the new restrictions on steel imports from Russia now under consideration. Yesterday, the U.S. Ambassador was invited to the Foreign Ministry where he was told this intention of the U.S. administration was in contrast with the existing procedures and the conditions of the bi-lateral trade agreement. As the statement further went, 'this action, rather hard to explain as concerns international law and economic sense, may seriously cloud relations between our countries'. The Foreign Ministry expressed its hope that all this would be noted and considered by the U.S. administration when making its final decision as concerned Russia's steel.