U.S. midterms make waves around the world

The outcome of the U.S. midterm elections drew a mixed international response Wednesday. A spokesman for the Kremlin gave a pessimistic response when asked how Democratic control of the U.S. House of Representatives would affect U.S.-Russia relations. “It’s fair to suggest with a high degree of confidence there are no glowing prospects,” Dmitry Peskov said. In China, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the country would continue to pursue improved bilateral relations regardless of the election’s outcome. Michael Oren, the Israeli deputy Cabinet minister for public diplomacy, said his country will continue to seek the left’s support and push for solutions to conflicts with Iran, Syria, and Palestine. “There is no issue which would have greater reverberations, not just on the right, but in the center and maybe even on parts of the left than resolving the Israeli-Palestinian issue,” he said.

Uncertainty about possible gridlock in Washington, D.C., appeared to affect world currency markets Wednesday. An index comparing the U.S. dollar to rival currencies fell by .5 percent Wednesday morning, CNBC reported.