Snowden affair has not led Russia, US to new Cold War - Lavrov

"I think all that [Russian Defense Minister] Sergeiand I[Shoigu] told you today about our work with [US Secretary of State] John Kerry and [US Defense Secretary] Chuck Hagel shows that there is no Cold War," Lavrov told journalists following consultations between Russian and US foreign policy and defense chiefs in Washington on Friday.

"I have said already that Snowden has not cast any shadow on our relations. Saying that this particular example is a good pretext to call into question our cooperation, I think it would be unwise," he said.

"The Snowden theme was mentioned in passing today, but as an episode that should not and cannot undermine our common interests, which coincide in large part," Lavrov said at a press conference in Washington on Friday.

These common interests include combat against new challenges and threats and the maintenance of strategic stability, he said.

Putin, Obama meetings were postponed, not cancelled - Lavrov

The so-called cancellation by the US side of meetings between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama did not have a negative effect on the meeting between Russian and American Foreign and Defense Ministers in Washington said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Mr. Lavrov clarified that the meeting between President Putin and Obama had not been cancelled but had been "postponed” and that this had been confirmed.

A basic general statement on bilateral relations had been submitted for the consideration of President Obama, said Lavrov.

Mr. Lavrov stated that letters had been exchanged regarding boosting economic and investment cooperation and that Obama would probably attend a business meeting while he is in Russia for the G-20.

Agreements had also been reached in the areas of nuclear threat security and scientific cooperation in the sphere of nuclear energy and also quite a number of arrangements which would be presented to the presidents including the results of approximately 20 high-level working groups.

US, Russian ministers agree to prepare for Syria peace talks - Lavrov

US and Russian officials agreed on Friday on the need to convene a Syrian peace conference in Geneva as soon as possible and will meet again by the end of the month to prepare for the talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

Lavrov spoke in Washington after talks between the top US and Russian diplomatic and defense officials. He described the overall mood of the talks as very positive.

Shoigu feels no negative changes in US' approaches to military cooperation with Russia

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu says he did not sense any negative changes in the US' approaches toward bilateral military cooperation.

"I haven't felt any changes in approaches to military cooperation. Moreover, we have discussed a number of what I see as new avenues in our cooperation," Shoigu said following 2+2 negotiations between the Russian and US foreign policy and defense chiefs in Washington on Friday.

In particular, the two parties agreed to step up contacts at deputy defense chief level , hold videoconferences as a means of negotiation on a regular basis, and try to make the 2014 plan for cooperation between the Russian Defense Ministry and the US Defense Department more substantial.

"If even something has changed, then it has changed quite for the better. We don't see any threats. I don't feel any concerns regarding our further dialogues and don't think that we see any cooling down when we talk exclusively about our military cooperation. Perhaps it's actually vice versa," he said.

In discussing the problem of a European missile defense system, it is necessary to take into account the deployment of its elements in the Baltic and Barents Seas, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told journalists.

"Apart from the deployment of European missile defense elements at the sites that have already been determined, we believe issues related to sea-based systems, especially in the Barents and Baltic Seas, should also be addressed. We are also concerned about this," Shoigu said.

"In addition, we should understand that we do not object to each country upgrading its protection, but we are against that protection being at Russia's expense. I hope we understand what we were talking about with my counterpart," Shoigu said.

The US military leadership has accepted Russia's invitation to take part in the West-2013 military exercises, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Friday.

"It's true that we have invited them to the West-2013 exercises," Shoigu said in summing up outcomes from consultations between the Russian and US foreign policy and defense chiefs in Washington on Friday.

Shoigu said he was sure that US military officials would come to attend the exercises. "They accepted this invitation with interest," he said.

Russia may even expand the scope of invitations to foreign officials to such events in the future, Shoigu said. "We plan to invite at least the representatives of defense attache offices," he said.

The organization of exercises and unplanned operational readiness tests in the presence of foreign officials should improve confidence between countries, Shoigu said. "We test our troops not because we are planning to fight with anyone but only to test the combat preparedness of our armed forces," he said.

Voice of Russia