Most Russians consider Belarus best friend and ally – poll

ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 16, 2005 Monday

MOSCOW, May 16 — Thirty-six percent of Russians view Belarus as their
best friend and ally, according to a public opinion poll conducted in
late April among 1,500 respondents by the Bashkirova and Partners Co.

Germany with 19.6 percent and Ukraine with 15.8 percent rank second
and third respectively in the group of allies, followed by France
(11.3 percent), China (9.5 percent), Great Britain (7.5 percent) and
the United States (7.3). Armenia (4.5 percent), Italy (4.3 percent)
and Kazakhstan (3.5) failed to overcome the 5-percent rating hurdle.

The United States with 33.6 percent of the votes tops the countries,
which “have unfriendly and even hostile stand towards Russia”,
followed by former Soviet republics – Latvia (19.5 percent), Georgia
(16.1 percent), and Lithuania (14.9 percent).

Social scientists believe that a negative attitude is explained by
“the anti-Russian policy conducted by the countries” as well as by
the claims of Baltic leaders to reconsider the results of World War II.

This group also include Afghanistan (9.3 percent), Estonia and Iraq
(9 percent), Ukraine (8 percent), Iran and China (8 percent).

Experts pointed out that some countries are found in both ratings.
Around 14.1 percent of the polled believe that Russia has no friends,
while 6.5 percent are certain that Russia has no enemies.