Hillary Clinton: Putin ‘clear winner’

08.03.2012

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has acknowledged that Vladimir Putin is the “clear winner” of Russia’s presidential elections and expressed her readiness to work with the president-elect.

“The election had a clear winner and we are ready to work with President-elect Putin as he is sworn in and assumes the responsibilities of the presidency,” she told reporters during a meeting with the Polish foreign minister on Wednesday.

Clinton however voiced her concerns over the arrests of peaceful protesters that followed the March 4 vote and repeated Washington’s calls to investigate reported voting irregularities.

The Secretary of State said the US is going to be looking for ways to enhance cooperation on a range of difficult issues, such as the Syrian crisis and US missile defense in Europe.

“We continue to believe that Russia should join the international community and play a positive role in trying to end the bloodshed and help create the conditions for a peaceful democratic transition [in Syria],” said Clinton, who has been critical of Moscow’s stance on the Syrian crisis.