CIS summit was “excellent”, says Putin
RTR Russia TV, Moscow
8 May 05
[Presenter] A summit of the CIS countries’ leaders opened the
programme of international events dedicated to the 60th anniversary
of the victory in World War II. The presidents gathered to honour the
memory of those who died protecting the country [USSR] from fascism
and give recognition to the soldiers who fought for their motherland.
Vladimir Putin recalled the decisive contribution of the CIS peoples
to the victory. It was not only the past they discussed, but also
the future of the commonwealth. The meeting resulted in the signing
of a declaration for humanitarian cooperation. Igor Kozhevin gives
the details.
[Correspondent] In May 1945 they were together – allied republics of
a single state, the territory which is called the post-soviet space
now. After 60 years, each of the leaders of the currently independent
states found his own way to Moscow. And those who found the strength
to make the trip have discovered through this that deep down there
is still much to unify us.
Mercedes with Russian federal number plates and foreign state symbols
were driving up to the President Hotel over the space of half of an
hour. The leader of Turkmenistan was the first to come, and, unlikely
the rest of his colleagues, he did not walk upstairs, but used an
escalator. Nyyazow actually does not often attend CIS summits, choosing
where to go and where not to go. But today’s meeting, dedicated to
the 60th anniversary of the victory, is a special one. Nyyazow’s
father died during the Great Patriotic War. For many of the leaders
the war is also a personal matter. Vladimir Putin’s father fought and
was wounded; 11376 is the camp number of [Ukrainian President Viktor]
Yushchenko’s father, who was a prisoner in Auschwitz.
[Putin] Respected friends, the war with Nazism became a great patriotic
war for all the peoples of the Soviet Union. Without exaggeration,
it was a just struggle for the very right to live on earth, have
one’s own statehood, language and culture, a struggle for the free
development of our peoples and against the ideology of barbarism,
violence, aggression and national and racial superiority.
[Correspondent] In the round hall of the President Hotel the
presidents were sitting against a background of 10 flags of states.
Ideally there were to be 12 flags, but the Georgian president
uncompromisingly named the withdrawal of Russian military on his
terms as a condition of his attending the summit. Moscow did not
understand the language of ultimatum and Saakashvili did not come.
The Azeri leader did not want to sit next to the Armenian president
and said that he would come later. Events which took place 12 years
ago are being recalled in Baku today. Azeri people believe that
at that time Armenian servicemen invaded their land. All the other
leaders gathered together, and that is why they discussed not only
the past, but also the future of the CIS. The leaders had recognized
the necessity to reform the commonwealth at the last summit. Today
Vladimir Putin suggested an original philosophy, a reference point
for the changes: a common history.
[Putin] Decades are passing, but the memory of battlefield brotherhood
in the name of liberty, independence, humanism still connects our
peoples. And it is our duty to pass on this priceless experience of
unity and solidarity to new generations of our citizens. [Passage
omitted]
The leaders were happy to be photographed together, and when asked
about whether the summit went well, they gave an answer.
[Unidentified voice] Vladimir Vladimirovich, how did you like the
summit?
[Putin, speaking from a distance in line with other leaders, and
giving a thumbs-up sign] It was excellent.