FREDERICK, Md. (AP) â?? The Washington-Moscow Hot Line, used by U.S. and Russian leaders for frank discussions about crises including the 1967 Six-Day War and the Soviet Union's 1979 invasion of Afghanistan, marked its 50th birthday Thursday with the nations still grappling with competing interests in regional conflicts.
The direct connection established during the Cold War by a relatively simple telegraph system now includes telephone and email capabilities and will soon add video, said White House National Security Council spokeswoman Laura Lucas.
"The president continues to value the direct communications link between Washington and Moscow," Lucas wrote in an emailed response to questions from The Associated Press about the hotline that was used at key moments and helped contact between senior officials at the White House and in the Kremlin.
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