Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger says relations between Russia and Washington can change for the better. On Friday he met with President Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow.

At the meeting Dmitry Medvedev said he hoped the new US administration led by Democrat Barack Obama will bring the necessary change.

Kissinger said he is maintaining contact with the new administration and was sure an attempt would be made to improve the relations. He stressed, however, he was speaking on his own behalf.

During the US presidential campaign the former secretary of state supported John McCain, although they have very different views on Russia.

Kissinger said the destinies of both countries are closely interlinked and both can contribute to peace and progress in the world. This is the second meeting between Dmitry Medvedev and Henry Kissinger this year. The first took place a month after Medvedev’s inauguration.

While waiting for the Russian president, Henry Kissinger had been chatting with Evgeny Primakov, Russia’s former foreign minister.

Kissinger and Primakov have a lot of things in common. Both are renowned experts in US-Russian relations and veterans of diplomacy. Of course, they were in rival camps during the Cold War. These days they preside over the discussions club that focuses on the relations between the two countries.

These relations might not be at their best right now, but Henry Kissinger, arguably the world’s most experienced diplomat, remains optimistic.