(CNN) - When it comes to Russia, the Obama administration has been talking about “pressing the reset button.” It’s meant to symbolize a possible new start in U.S./Russian relations, which “crashed” after Russia invaded Georgia last August.
So when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton greeted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva Friday before sitting down to their working dinner, she was all smiles when she presented him a small green box with a ribbon.
Lavrov opened it and, inside, there was a red button with the Russian word “peregruzka” printed on it.
"I would like to present you with a little gift that represents what President Obama and Vice President Biden and I have been saying and that is: 'We want to reset our relationship, and so we will do it together.' ...
"We worked hard to get the right Russian word. Do you think we got it?" she asked Lavrov, laughing.
“You got it wrong," said Lavrov, as both diplomats laughed.
“It should be “perezagruzka” [the Russian word for reset]," said Lavrov."This says ‘peregruzka,’ which means ‘overcharged.’”
A quick comeback – and recovery – from Clinton: "We won't let you do that to us, I promise. We mean it and we look forward to it."
Ever the diplomat, Lavrov says he’ll put the “reset” button on his desk.
A few minutes later, Clinton senior adviser Philippe Reines sent an e-mail message to reporters covering the Secretary of State.
“Since we're all learning a little Russian today, ‘opechatka’ is Russian for ‘typo,'” he wrote. “So the *Opechatka* is being fixed, the gift will correctly read ‘Perezagruzka’ by the time of the joint press conference. If any of you travel with labelmaking devices equipped with Russian spell-check, please do let me know...”
From CNN Politics
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LOL!!!
D,OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As much as I would hate to say this, Former Sec. of State Rice would have probably not got that wrong. Nonetheless, its still a bit funny. Glad to see HR Clinton representing the USA.
This is diplomacy. I love it!! Good job Secretary Clinton.
What a joke our Gov't is
THIS IS EMBARRASING! Why the hell are we giving Russia anything with a little red button on it? "Reset"? What about "finger on the button"? Are we that far removed from the nuclear cold war? This was extremely poorly thought out even without the "typo" . . .
Funny but no big deal, we should keep it as is ("overcharge") because we could use the money.
You gotta admit, this was pretty funny...
SOS Hillary Clinton is doing one helava job as top diplomat. Going to Asia, Middle East and to Russia. Going abroad and trying to bring our one time friends back. She has the clout and she is loved. This is something that President Obama seen in her when he tapped her for this position. This makes Bill awfully proud.
What is this bunk that relations crashed after Russia invaded Georgia?
Relations crashed after the nutty president of Georgia "invaded" the separatist states of South Ossetia and Abkhazia with his army and committed genocide on the people there. He was angry that these states did not want to be a part of Georgia; they wanted to be independent and were much friendlier with Russian than Georgia.
It was pathetic during the debates that both McCain and Obama stuck to the tired old line of Russia being the big bad bear and ignoring the killings of people in those provinces by the Georgian army.
Granted the Russian are our rivals but that means we ignore state sponsored killings by the Georgian army because we want to play political games? All over Europe, the Georgian president was blamed for that mess (it is their backyard after all) but here in the US, the view we're fed is it was all the fault of Russia.
That's my girl. Hillary thinks fast on her feet and I am proud of her.
At least it didn't say something else... they could've triggered WWIII
Oh oh, I don't like the finger Lavrov chose to push the reset button. Is that the sign of a better relationship? just kidding
Are we sure it's not a listening device? What a good trick!
I'm just glad it wasn't the word for launch.
What about the EASY button!!??
lolol...man, what a bunch of clowns this administration is. If Bush's administration would've made that mistake the media would be dancing in the streets but because it's kommandant Obama's crowd, well, it's all in good fun.
To Hillary Clinton,
i came to America in the year 96, and since then i was thinking that america is democratic country but could not represent a woman as its president since last 122/of years why.........?
all though you miss the chance against Obama in the last election.
but President Obama had been equally genarious that he choose your
voice in his administration. and so are so humble that you took up the chance to change the world in a differnt way.
i till rember the stories of great fighting between the 2 big powers of then world in
from the years 1954 to and on wards competating in developing different
nucleare arms/missiles tanks atc.which they could utilised yet.
but brought tremendious pressure over the other worlds countries.
"mr gorbochov turn down that The Burliin wall dividing the unity of german people" was the american stratagies and then to break the Great Russian Empire. and so they did..
and this is the American policy i had read during my study of history.
president Bush went on war on iraq on the flimsy groud in the
name of securing the safety of america but in doing so he brought
unbeliveable soorows/hardship and down turn of american economy and
what not?
in view of this you are on right track to shake hand with russian/
and else where. President Obama is too. from mr.desai
Overcharge!? No, no, that's what Congress does to taxpayers...
Clinton is clueless. What a joke..
And the free spending of this administration continues
thanks for a laugh, on a edgy day.
now, get to work, mrs. clinton!
Nice. I like what I'm seeing from our foreign policy team
Whatever! it is still a very good sign. And oh! the smiles looks genuine. Great job madam secretary.
Since that button was purchased by the government, the word "overcharged" is entirely appropos!!!