Regards, Ivan
Posted on 05/17/2006 1:38:51 AM PDT by MadIvan
The Kremlin chief of staff puts a positive spin on disagreements with the West
THE Kremlin has launched a diplomatic offensive to repair frayed relations between Russia and the West and rescue preparations for a key summit that President Putin will host in St Petersburg this summer.
Amid fears of a return to Cold War suspicion, the Russian presidential chief of staff made an unprecedented visit to Downing Street this week to defuse tensions that could undermine the annual G8 meeting of the world’s most powerful leaders.
Sergei Sobyanin, who held talks with Jonathan Powell, his British counterpart, said that he was determined to refresh an atmosphere that has been poisoned by recent sharp exchanges between Moscow and the West.
“The problems that have been highlighted recently in the media and political circles have been wildly exaggerated,” Mr Sobyanin told The Times, in his first interview with the foreign press.
“Our biggest problem is the rhetoric. We do have differences with our Western partners, but nothing of critical importance and certainly nothing that cannot be resolved through direct dialogue.”
His calming message, which will be reinforced across the West thanks to a multimillion-pound Kremlin contract with the US public relations firm Ketchum, is aimed primarily at shoring up support for Russia in Europe and silencing Kremlin detractors in Washington.
Dick Cheney, the US Vice-President, warned Russia last week not to abandon democracy and accused Mr Putin of “unfairly and improperly” restricting the rights of his people. Other critics of Russia, such as Senator John McCain, a possible Republican presidential candidate, urged President Bush to boycott the St Petersburg summit, to be held in mid-July.
But Mr Sobyanin, a former governor of the western Siberian region of Tyumen, said that world leaders needed to meet to tackle pressing issues, such as global energy, terrorism, nuclear proliferation and the spread of infectious diseases.
The 47-year-old Kremlin chief said that Moscow’s position on Iran was much closer to that of the West than stated. He insisted that Russia’s top priority was to stop Iran acquiring an atomic bomb while avoiding any moves that could lead to a new war in the Middle East.
“We do have important [commercial] contracts with Iran, but it is more important to us to make sure that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons,” he said. “In this regard we are absolutely on the same wavelength as our Western partners . . . I think we also agree how terrible an outbreak of new hostilities would be in the case of Iran.”
As for fears over the erosion of democratic principles in Russia, Mr Sobyanin said that Mr Putin had promised to step down from office in 2008, when he completed his second and final term. But he also predicted that Mr Putin would choose a successor carefully. “All political careers must come to an end one day,” he said. “Every leader would like to see to it that when his presidency comes to an end his policies and ideas will be continued. Putin is no exception.”
Diplomats believe that the G8 summit will go ahead with all the leaders in attendance, despite present differences. But the Kremlin is likely to come under more pressure from the West on thorny issues, such as democracy in Russia and action against Iran, until the summit opens.
Mr Sobyanin, who helped to prepare the state of the union address delivered by Mr Putin in Moscow last week, said that the President had ruled out any return to the Cold War, even if at times the chill winds blowing between East and West may feel that way.
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
IMHO what Russia does is straight out of the playbook written by Lenin. A "one step back, two steps forward" dielectric. They can't be trusted on any issues.
Dictators choose their successors. In democracies, the people choose.
My own view is that Slick KKKlinton bombing an innocent slavic orthodox nation into the stone age for no rational reason has something to do with our present inability to deal with Russia. Russia is also a slavic orthodox nation... I'd hope those kinds of policies on our part would have been dismantled and reversed when W took office, but that hasn't happened.
“Our biggest problem is the rhetoric"
Who do they think they are fooling? 200,000 AK47s to Venezuela, WMD to Iraq and Iran, turining off the heat to Europe in the middle of record freeze?
We need $30 oil to get the Russians and Iranians back in line.
IBTRWC!!
Who do they think they are fooling? 200,000 AK47s to Venezuela, WMD to Iraq and Iran, turining off the heat to Europe in the middle of record freeze? ==
You too shy:). Better sound: "1,200,000 AK47s to Venezuella, 100 of nuclier bombs to Iraq and Iran, turning off heat to Europe, Asia and Africa in the middle of record freeze?". Isn't it better?:))
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain....
Sovietski PING!!!
Keep on Russkie you all got it coming.
"“Our biggest problem is the rhetoric. We do have differences with our Western partners, but nothing of critical importance and certainly nothing that cannot be resolved through direct dialogue.”"
Perhaps their new Gazprom executive, former Chancellor of Germany, Mr. Schroeder, can attend the conference to help explain these rhetorical differences.
"IMHO what Russia does is straight out of the playbook written by Lenin. A "one step back, two steps forward" dielectric. They can't be trusted on any issues."
Exactly correct. Isn't that surprising that there's anybody out there still buying it?
Keep on Russkie you all got it coming.==
Relax:). That guy just libeled Russia and I exxagarate it a little to make fun:).
If you all convinced that Russia gave Iran or Iraq the nukes then why not tell you that Russia gave them 100 nukes and will give Topol-M missiles to deliver it. Anyway it is thier iranian choice to shoot Topol-M where they will choose. Not to Russia I presume:).
Isn't it sounds threatenning and worriable?:) But I'm sure you surely believe it right?:)
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