the scandal has strained relations with russia, but obama reasonthis was the sole for calling up a meeting with vladimir putin. >> our decision to not participate in the summit was not simply around edward sought -- edward snowden. it was on issues where we thought we could make progress, and russia has not moved. >> it marks a new low point. ties between the former cold war have the sores are once again on thin ice. >> the statement came after a high level meeting between the u.s. secretary of state john kerry and his russian counterpart. to convene a peace conference to find a solution to the syrian crisis. they acknowledge deep differences over edward snowden and other issues but said they would work together on nuclear disputes on iran and north korea and the war in afghanistan. the u.s. says it plans to reopen 18 of its embassies sunday after a terror threat prompted a weeklong closure, but that yemeni consulate will remain shut. a separate terror threat in pakistan is keeping the u.s. from reopening a consulate in the city of lahore. moon hasretary ban ki- protesters and supporters o