Critical differences between the United States and Russia went unresolved despite smiles and diplomatic niceties as Secretary of State Colin Powell presented a laundry list of US concerns to Russian President Vladimir Putin. While professing satisfaction at the current state of relations, pledging cooperation in numerous matters including space exploration and finding apparent common ground on Georgia, profound differences lingered. But both men took pains to stress that it was the closeness of ties that allowed them to speak frankly and openly with each other about disputes. \"Although there are differences concerning foreign policy issues and defending our national interests, we have built a common ground that is strong enough to overcome these disagreements,\" Putin told Powell at the Kremlin. Powell, who began the day with a scathing critique of Russian backsliding on democracy and human rights and questions about Putin\'s intentions in former Soviet republics like Georgia, echoed the president\'s comments. \"We do have areas of disagreement or areas of dispute but the strength of the relationship allows to discuss these areas with candor and openness,\" he said. In an opinion piece published in Moscow\'s influential Izvestia newspaper before his talks, Powell delivered some of the most critical comments about Russia that a senior US official has offered since Washington and Moscow became partners in the \"war on terror\" following the September 11, 2001 attacks. \"Certain developments in Russian politics and foreign policy in recent months have given us pause...Russia\'s democratic system seems not yet to have found the essential balance among the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government,\" Powell wrote, adding that \"political power is not yet fully tethered to the law.\" With Putin up for re-election in March, Washington has taken a dim view of his sidelining potential rivals. \"Certain aspects of internal Russian policy in Chechnya, and toward neighbors that emerged from the former Soviet Union have concerned us, too,\" Powell wrote. He said the United States would always respect Russia\'s territorial integrity and its interest in adjoining countries, but that Moscow would have to recognize the rights of these nations as well. (AFP)