Obama congratulates Russia's president-elect Putin

President Barack Obama Friday called Russia's president-elect Vladimir Putin to congratulate him on his election win, despite earlier US concern over reported vote irregularities. 

The call inaugurated a relationship that will decide the fate of "reset" US relations with the Kremlin which the White House sees as a key foreign policy achievement headed into Obama's reelection campaign.  

The US president called the once and future Russian leader from Air Force One "to congratulate him on his recent victory in the Russian presidential election," a White House statement said. 

Obama "highlighted achievements in US-Russia relations over the past three years with President (Dmitry) Medvedev, including cooperation on Afghanistan, the conclusion and ratification of the START agreement, Russia's recent invitation to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and cooperation on Iran." 

Obama and Putin "agreed that the successful reset in relations should be built upon during the coming years" and the US leader said that he looked forward to hosting Putin at the G8 Summit in May at Camp David. 

There was no mention in the statement of earlier US concern about the circumstances of Putin's election. 

Washington had called on Moscow to conduct an independent probe after foreign monitors had questioned whether the results of Sunday's election had been skewed in Putin's favour.The absence of comment on the conduct of the election may represent a realisation of the importance of cordial relations between Washington and Moscow -- to a host of major global issues and a desire by the White House to get off on the right foot with Putin. 

The thorny issues threatening to disrupt the "reset" were however in evidence in the White House statement. 

The two leaders also "agreed to continue discussions on areas where the United States and Russia have differed, including Syria and missile defense" and "to continue their efforts to find common ground and remove obstacles to better relations," the White House said. 

Putin's return to power has raised questions whether the former KGB man's  abrasive approach and strident criticism of the United States, will begin to exert a toll on US-Russia relations.

But on Thursday, the White House said US policy towards Russia was based on interests and not personalities when asked whether Obama would be as friendly with Putin as he has been with Medvedev. 

Some analysts have also questioned whether the rising political opposition Putin has encountered in Russia will lead him to adopt nationalistic and populist stances which could cause conflict in US relations with Moscow.  

"I believe the international observers noted that Mr. Putin won a majority of the vote. But we also note the irregularities that have been reported," Carney said.  

The State Department said on Monday that it hoped that with the election out of the way, Russia would turn its attention to helping to solve the Syria crisis. 

Russia and China have twice used their veto in the UN Security Council to block international action against the regime in Damascus of President Bashar al-Assad, earning an angry US response.

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