Minister of national security of the United States John Kelly

© EPA/MICHAEL REYNOLDS

NEW YORK, may 28. /Offset. TASS Kirill Volkov/. Communication channels with any States, including Russia, are good and right thing. This was stated by the Minister of national security of the United States John Kelly, speaking in an interview broadcast on several us television stations.

“If you have channels of communication with countries or organizations, including those that are not friendly to us, it’s good, – he said in an interview with ABC. – Any channels of communication with countries, especially such as Russia, are a good thing.”

Kelly commented on leaks to the media about the alleged intentions of the senior adviser and son-in-law of U.S. President Donald trump Jared Kushner to create a secure channel for communication with Moscow . “I know Jared, he’s a good guy,” said the Minister in an interview with NBC, stressing that “sees no problems” in relation to the attributed to President-in-law attempts to establish a communication channel with Russia.

“If you create a communication channel, this does not mean that you will keep it a secret,” said Kelly, suggesting that if Kouchner has set up such a channel, it would inform the American authorities.

On Saturday the assistant to the President for national security Herbert McMaster, commenting on the same question, reminded that Washington at the moment there are special channels of communication with many countries. “We have channels of communication with a number of countries. In General, these channels allow you to communicate in a restrained manner,” said McMaster. According to him, he “felt would be a concern,” if someone from the administration wanted to establish a line of communication with Russia.

On Friday, the Washington Post ( WP) reported that Kouchner at the end of last year allegedly discussed with the Russian Ambassador in Washington Sergei Kislyak the possibility of using a secure channel of diplomatic communication to the entourage of the new occupant of the White house Donald trump was able to maintain contacts with Moscow, without fear of listening on the part of U.S. intelligence.

Leaks on the terrorist attack in Manchester

Leaks to the media data associated with the investigation of the terrorist attack in the British Manchester, are not valid and similar in fact to treason, said the Minister of national security of the United States.

At the same time, according to Kelly, he can’t claim that the sources of the leaks were representatives of American intelligence. “I don’t know where was the leak – said the Minister. And I don’t know why people do such things, it passes all bounds”.

“I believe that if you share information that is top secret, then it’s damn close to treason,” said Kelly. “If the source (leakage – approx. TASS) was indeed the United States is absolutely unacceptable,” he added.

The United Kingdom on Thursday suspended the exchange with the United States data relate to the investigation of the terrorist attack in Manchester. It happened once in the American newspaper the New York Times (NYT) published pictures of the parts of the explosive device, triggered on Monday after a concert by American singer Ariana Grande at the stadium “Manchester-arena”. As a result of the attack killed 22 people, 75 were injured.

Later that same day, the UK has resumed intelligence sharing with the United States, after receiving new guarantees from Washington to disclose the classified.

U.S. Secretary of state Rex Tillerson, speaking in London, said the United States bears full responsibility for the leak in the American press of classified information related to the terrorist attack in Manchester.