Putin against closing mausoleum, burying Lenin’s body

Itar Tass News Agency ^ | 2-7-06 | ITAR-TASS

[Stellar Dendrite]

MOSCOW, February 7 (Itar-Tass) -- President Vladimir Putin does not support the idea to close the Red Square mausoleum and bury Vladimir Lenin’s body.

“I wish to find solutions, which would enjoy support by the majority of citizens and promote reconciliation and unity of the nation rather than a split,” Putin told the Spanish media.

“I visited [Francisco] Franco’s grave when I was in Spain in the middle of the 1990s. Opinions may differ, and there are two completely different things. I am against drawing any parallels between fascism and communism,” he said.

“Each ideology has its own notions of justice and problems, but it would be incorrect to match them,” he said. “Franco is a rather controversial personality, and there are different assessments of his role. But he was buried in a pantheon with all the honors.”

“Spanish people suffered a lot during the Civil War, and Russian citizens suffered equally or even more during the civil confrontation,” Putin said. “Nowadays, we should not provoke a split but promote unification and reconciliation with every step of ours.”

[jb6]

Prove it. Oh, that's right, you never do, you just make statements.

[jb6]

Could send the corpse to Seattle, would go with his statue in the city center.

[Moonman62]

“Spanish people suffered a lot during the Civil War, and Russian citizens suffered equally or even more during the civil confrontation,” Putin said.

Civil confrontation?

[billbears]

No, it seems moreso that he's playing to a nationalist sentiment that seems to be on the rise in certain parts of the world. How is this any different than the nationalist sentiment within our own nation? If conservatives were to truly examine the actions and words of men who monuments and statues were built in memory of in Washington DC (i.e. the 16th President, Grant, Sherman, etc.) it seems somewhat hypocritical to criticize Putin's choices over Lenin's body.

Although I have to admit, I do believe it's time to put the corpse underground..

[Tailgunner Joe]

"I am against drawing any parallels between fascism and communism." - Vladimir Putin, Chekist

[Thunder90]

Why do you back Putin so much when he hates the US?

[jb6]

Why do you back Putin so much when he hates the US?

Because your statements are groundless. Because you've yet to back one up. You must believe Bush to be an idiot or a liar then, I don't believe he's either. So, I either trust Bush's feelings and views on Putin or I stand against Bush. I choose to support Bush. As for your grandios statements, that's all they ever are, with ZERO support. The only "support" you ever showed was some photos from the 60th anniversery of WW2 that you tried to ply off as the modern Russian army and an old marker commemorating the victory that you tried to ply off as a modern symbol.

[Lukasz]

Somebody is neglecting to tell the truth. Putin tried to remove the body previously, but there were objections from some quarters.

Who is neglecting the truth? Russian state owned press agency? They are in Putin’s pocket and they are better informed than you or Indian communists.

[Lukasz]

Putin is just looking for excuses to not bury his idol.

Prove it. Oh, that's right, you never do, you just make statements.

Putin said “I am against drawing any parallels between fascism and communism,” and this is communist apologism. Putin refuse to admit that people like Stalin or Lenin were scum.

[x5452]

What he REALLY said:

08 February 2006, 11:00
Majority opinion needed on whether or not to bury Lenin - Putin

Moscow, February 8, Interfax - Any decision on whether or not to bury the body of Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin, currently housed in a mausoleum on Moscow's Red Square, should be guided by the sentiments of the majority of Russians, President Vladimir Putin said.

"I will seek decisions that have the support of the overwhelming majority of the citizens of our country and, I would like to emphasize this again, decisions that are conducive to conciliation and to national unification rather than to schism," Putin told the Spanish media.

"I believe that, just as the Spanish suffered during the civil war some time ago, the Russian population suffered in the same way or even more from internal strife and civil confrontation. Today we should do nothing that threatens a split and instead should make every move to achieve unification and conciliation," he said.

Putin, who said he had visited the grave of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco during a trip to Spain, argued it was wrong to equate communism with fascism. "Each ideology had its own notions of justice and its own problems. It seems to me that equating the two is completely incorrect," he said.

[GarySpFc]

How does a Viet Nam vet who saw his comrades killed by communists come to call Lenins tomb a "place of honor"?
Gary, shouldnt you be on Free Lunch Republic?

YOU LYING LITTLE TRAMP. I NEVER CALLED LENIN'S TOMB A "PLACE OF HONOR."

[GarySpFc]

Putin is just looking for excuses to not bury his idol.

I keep forgetting they do not teach the difference between truth and propaganda at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Additionally, the do not expect their students to have any honor.

[GarySpFc]

Who is neglecting the truth? Russian state owned press agency? They are in Putin’s pocket and they are better informed than you or Indian communists.

Two different articles reported exactly what Putin said regarding burying Lenin, and yet you want to deny it Why? We are very aware you are a shill for the Polish state funded Centre for European Studies, and you goal is to portray Russia and all Russians as evil and Poland as the victim so you can get more foreign aid.

[Lukasz]

Please explain us why would state owned press agency work against their boss? Why oh why?

[GarySpFc]

Please clarify your question.

[Lukasz]

Why would Russian state owned agency badmouth Putin? They are working for CES as well?

[bmwcyle]

[GarySpFc]

Why would Russian state owned agency badmouth Putin? They are working for CES as well?

The CES is a Polish funded state agency, NOT RUSSIAN.

[Lukasz]

Very funny, you know very well that this article is from Russian state owned press agency ITAR TASS! You refuse to answer to my question, that is all...

[GarySpFc]

Very funny, you know very well that this article is from Russian state owned press agency ITAR TASS! You refuse to answer to my question, that is all...

I have no problem with the article as long as it is taken in the right context. Putin is not against burying Lenin as your ilk lies by implication. Indeed, that was the reason why I posted the additional two articles, which clearly pointed out Putin at that time wanted to bury Lenin. Putin simply wants the Russian people to be united on the decision to bury him.