July 26, 2016
VIENTIANE (AFP) - Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov batted away allegations Moscow was behind a hack of the Democratic National Committee emails ahead of a meeting Tuesday with US counterpart John Kerry in Laos.
The FBI is investigating whether Russian hackers were responsible for the breach, which has caused deep embarrassment to the Democratic Party and prompted accusations that Moscow is trying to influence the US presidential election.
Lavrov, in the Laos capital Vientiane for a regional security forum, shrugged when asked by reporters if Russia was responsible.
"Well I don't want to use four letter words," he said cryptically, before greeting Kerry with a handshake.
Disseminated by WikiLeaks, the emails revealed that Democratic Party leaders sought to undermine the campaign of Hillary Clinton's rival Bernie Sanders and have prompted the party boss to resign.
Clinton's campaign was quick to point fingers at Russia, saying it was an attempt to boost Donald Trump's shot at the White House.
Trump has made no secret of his admiration for President Vladimir Putin, leading some to conjecture that Russian leader was working to put the real estate billionaire in the White House.
