* Russia trade measure tied up in human rights concerns
* Clinton discusses Iran, Syria with Russian minister
* U.S. leaves door open to new Security Council try on Syria
By Andrew Quinn and Gleb Bryanski
VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, Sept 8 (Reuters) – The U.S. Congress
could move this month to upgrade trade relations with Moscow,
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Saturday, but Russia
made clear after talks that big differences remained on Syria
and Iran.
Clinton, in Russia for a summit of countries on the Pacific
Rim, said the U.S. government was working closely with Congress
on lifting the 1974 Jackson-Vanik amendment, Cold War-era
legislation that has blocked normal trade privileges for Russia.
Changing the legislation is an important part of President
Barack Obama’s efforts to bolster ties with Russia.
“To make sure our companies get to compete here in Russia,
we are working closely with the United States congress to
terminate the application to Jackson-Vanik to Russia and grant
Russia permanent normalized trade relations,” Clinton told
business leaders in the Pacific port city of Vladivostok.
“We hope that the Congress will act on this important piece
of legislation this month,” she said in a speech before the
start of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
Congress is under pressure to approve the permanent normal
trade relations (PNTR) bill because of Russia’s entry into the
World Trade Organization (WTO), a move the United States backed.
But with concerns in Congress about Moscow’s support for
Iran and Syria, as well as its broader human rights record, the
timing of a vote remains unclear.
Congress could add further conditions to any PNTR
legislation, including a measure known as the “Magnitsky bill”
to punish Russian officials for alleged human rights violations.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who has
called Russia the “number one geopolitical foe” of the United
States, has said he will back PNTR for Russia only if it is
accompanied by a measure to target human rights violations.
U.S. officials said Clinton had raised the broad question of
human rights at a one-hour meeting with Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov, but Lavrov denied the issue came up specifically.
“We did not discuss this issue because the U.S. side knows
perfectly well that attempts to replace anti-Soviet legislation
with anti-Russian legislation are unacceptable. They know it
will inflict real damage to our relations,” Lavrov said.
He also told reporters the sides remained divided on foreign
policy issues such as the Syrian conflict and Iran’s nuclear
programme.
“Our U.S. partners prefer measures like threats, increased
pressure and new sanctions against both Syria and Iran. We do
not agree with this in principle,” Lavrov said.
STANDING IN FOR OBAMA
Clinton is standing in at the summit for Obama, who is
preparing for the November presidential election.
U.S. officials say Clinton’s trip is partially aimed at
assessing Russia’s push to expand engagement in Asia, which
parallels Washington’s “pivot” to the Asia-Pacific region after
the military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Clinton intended to tell President Vladimir Putin in talks
later on Saturday the United States welcomed a bigger Russian
role in the region and was seeking to build more cooperation,
the officials also said.
Moscow and Washington have been working in concert with
other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council
to pressure Tehran over its nuclear programme.
On Syria, Washington has accused Moscow and Beijing of
blocking efforts at the Security Council to approve tough
measures against Damascus as it battles an armed rebellion.
The United States has angered Russia by going outside the
United Nations to work with allies to support the Syrian
opposition, but Clinton told Lavrov it was possible to return to
the United Nations if Moscow and Beijing were ready to forego
their vetoes and back stronger measures.
A U.S. official said Clinton, who also visited China this
week, made the same comments to Chinese leaders.
Lavrov said Russia expected the Security Council later this
month to formally endorse an agreement brokered by former U.N.
Syria envoy Kofi Annan which envisages a transitional governing
authority for Syria.
