15/03/2014 10:36
No Ukraine accord in US-Russia talks
Russia and the US have "no common vision" on the crisis in Ukraine, Russia's foreign minister has said, after talks with his US counterpart, the BBC reported.
However Sergei Lavrov called his London meeting with John Kerry "constructive."
Mr Kerry said the US was "deeply concerned" about Russia sending troops to the Ukraine border and in Crimea.
Mr Lavrov said Moscow would respect the result of Sunday's referendum in Crimea on whether to join Russia but Mr Kerry said the US would not recognise it.
After six hours of talks between the two men, Mr Lavrov told reporters that Russia had no plans to invade south-eastern Ukraine.
Russia would "respect the will of the people of Crimea", he said.
Voters in Crimea - the southern autonomous republic in Ukraine - are to decide on whether to re-join Russia or stay with Kiev.
In a separate development, pro-Ukrainian and pro-Russian activists clashed in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. Eyewitnesses say gunfire was heard, and unconfirmed reports suggest there were casualties.
This follows Thursday night's violence in Donetsk, also in the east, where at least one person died in fighting between a pro-Russian crowd and supporters of the new government in Kiev.
Mr Kerry, who described the talks as "direct and candid", said the US acknowledged Russia's "legitimate interests" in Ukraine.
He said that the US had not changed its position on the "illegitimate" referendum in Crimea and would not recognise its outcome.
However, he said his Russian counterpart had made it clear that President Vladimir Putin was not prepared to make any decision until after the vote.
The secretary of state said that he had told Mr Lavrov that there would be consequences if Russia "does not find a way to change course."