DHAKA: The US has been talking with India and China among other countries as part of diplomatic efforts to isolate Russia but it has not yet asked them to impose any sanctions.

An American official said on Saturday, reports The Times of India.

‘We have been talking with other countries diplomatically, though, if you remember the security council vote last weekend. It was significant that China, for example, abstained and did not vote with Russia,’ state department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf told reporters.

‘Well, I don’t think we’re there yet. Obviously, we’ve been consulting very closely with the Europeans about sanctions,’ Harf said when asked if the US was going to seek Iran-oil like sanction from countries outside Nato.

‘Yesterday, only 10 other countries in the (UN) general assembly — people like Syria and Sudan — voted with Russia. So we are actively working on the diplomatic side to isolate Russia and that means with countries like China and India and others. But on the oil part, we’re just not there yet,’ she said.

Harf also expressed US’ disappointment with India’s abstention on the UNHRC vote on Sri Lanka.

BDST: 1925 HRS, MAR 29, 2014