MOSCOW, June 10 (RAPSI) - The Obama Administration does not consider Russia to be a security rival, but aims to work jointly with Moscow to resolve global problems, US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said on Monday.

We do not think that Russia is the United States' rival in security or in the economy, McFaul said during a seminar at the Moscow School of Political Studies. President Obama favors relations that would benefit both countries rather than force a zero-sum game on them, as during the Cold War, he continued. This is what we believe and this is what we are working for. It is in our national interests to have better relations with Russia, the ambassador said.

Nuclear arms control and the situation around North Korea, Iran and Afghanistan, especially after the planned US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2014, are some of the main global issues which Russia and the United States should address together, the ambassador said.

Differing views over Georgia after the August 2008 war in South Ossetia remain a sore issue. There are major differences over Georgia, McFaul said, but the US still believes that we should work together. He concluded by saying that he has an optimistic view of US-Russian relations.