Russian Foreign Ministry hopes expert meeting in Istanbul to be first on way to settling differences over functioning of Russian, U.S. embassies

MOSCOW. Feb 27 (Interfax) - Moscow hopes that consultations of Russian and U.S. experts held in Istanbul will be the first in a series of meetings and will help settle differences over the functioning of Russian and U.S. embassies, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

"We are hoping that today's meeting will be the first in a series of expert consultations to bring the U.S. side and us closer to settling differences, building confidence, and so on," Zakharova said at a press briefing on Thursday.

On the Russian side of the negotiations are "Foreign Ministry representatives directly in charge of Russian-U.S. relations," she said later.