Agency WPS
What the Papers Say. Part B (Russia)
February 3, 2005, Thursday
THE UNITED STATES PERCEIVES TOO MUCH POWER IN THE KREMLIN
SOURCE: Vremya Novostei, February 3, 2005, p. 1
by Alexander Samokhotkin
Newly-appointed US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice outlined the
major principles of Washington’s policy with regard to Russia in an
extensive interview with AFP and Reuters. Rice will be meeting with
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Ankara on February 5. This will be
their first meeting since Rice’s promotion on January 27.
According to Rice, there will be no radical revision of bilateral
relations, because present-day Russia “is not the Soviet Union, and a
return to the past is out of the question and that is great.” She
adds that “Russia’s progress in the direction of democracy has not
been smooth.” That is why development of cooperation, “to which we
all aspire, is only possible on the basis of common values.” As far
as Rice is concerned, these values include a wish for “a greater
degree of democracy” and existence of civil institutions serving as a
counterweight to government structures. Rice said that “the problem
is rooted in concentration of power in the Kremlin” at the expense of
these institutions, and “the United States has told the Russians as
much.”
Rice promised “assistance” in establishing civil society,
deregulating the economy, and developing small and medium business.
Assistance with World Trade Organization membership was also promised
– but only when Russia meets all requirements. “Deregulating the
Russian economy in line with the rules of the World Trade
Organization” was described by Rice as “good for all of the
international community.”
Rice hopes for “productive cooperation” between our countries in
“numerous spheres” including the war on international terrorism. She
hopes that the United States and Russia will work side by side on
resolution of regional conflicts like in the Caucasus and
Nagorno-Karabakh. All this bonhomie ended with what was essentially a
warning to the Kremlin. “We are keeping an eye on the strategy of
Russia’s development – Vremya Novostei and decide what to do on the
basis of these evaluations,” Rice said.
“Generally speaking, America’s position remains unchanged. Russia is
not cast out for the time being,” said Viktor Kremenyuk, deputy
director of the USA and Canada Institute. “On the other hand, the
Americans are making their displeasure clear regarding the course of
events in Russia.” In the international arena, the matter concerns
Ukraine and Georgia. In domestic affairs, it concerns media freedom
and YUKOS. The United States are trying to convey a message that
Putin should not expect too much from the Bratislava summit on
February 24. A message that the period when Washington looked the
other way is over. The United States is prepared to maintain more or
less broad cooperation provided Moscow takes into account what the
Americans are saying.
Rice also announced that the United States does not plan to attack
North Korea and is determined to find a peaceful solution to the
problem with Iran’s nuclear program. Rice complimented London, Paris,
and Berlin on their efforts to persuade Tehran to abandon its nuclear
programs. Rice warned the EU that a decision to lift the embargo on
arms exports to China might send Beijing “the wrong signal” about the
human rights situation in China. The leading proponents of lifting
the embargo are Germany and France.
Translated by A. Ignatkin