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Russia today accused the United States of not taking a constructive approach to diplomatic talks in Istanbul, but said the Turkish city was a suitable place for such contacts, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.

A meeting between US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Burns and Russian foreign intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin last month in Ankara sparked speculation of talks through unofficial channels between Moscow and Washington.

President Vladimir Putin said last week that this meeting was at the request of US President Joe Biden and that contacts between the CIA and Russian foreign intelligence continued.

Russian and American diplomats met in Istanbul on Friday to discuss a number of technical issues in their relationship.

"Istanbul is a suitable place for such contacts," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said today.

"I can say that any contacts are useful, but unfortunately we do not see a constructive approach from the American side aimed at concrete results," Vershinin said.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Turkish President Recep Erdogan has emerged as one of the key mediators between Russia on the one hand and Ukraine and the West on the other.

Erdogan played an important role in persuading Putin to resume participation in the UN-brokered Black Sea grain deal last month after a drone attack on a Russian naval base in Russian-annexed Crimea.

While Moscow and Washington publicly decry each other as major threats to global stability, they are at loggerheads on a wide range of issues.

In addition to the negotiations between the CIA and Russian foreign intelligence, the embassies of both countries are operating and their diplomats have contacts in Turkey.

The Federal Security Service has held prisoner swap talks and their defense chiefs are talking in moments of crisis.

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