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Minister slams Putin's 'attacks' on democracy
Evening Standard ^ | 11-26-2006

Posted on 11/26/2006 9:19:04 AM PST by M. Espinola

Tensions between Britain and Russia burst into the open today when a leading Cabinet minister voiced criticism of President Putin's "huge attacks" on liberty and democracy.

Peter Hain, the outspoken Northern Ireland Secretary, indicated that relations with Moscow had hit a low as he exhorted the Russian leader to return to democratic processes.

Outspoken: Peter Hain, Northern Ireland Secretary

His comments come as the Government has been treading carefully with Russia amid claims that the Kremlin ordered the poisoning of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko in London.

The Foreign Office asked Moscow on Friday to hand over any material which might assist Scotland Yard's inquiries into Mr Litvinenko's death.

In an interview with BBC1's Sunday AM, Mr Hain acknowledged today that relations between the two countries were "tricky".

He went on question President Putin's commitment to democracy and raised the killing of the investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya. Ms Politkovskaya was a prominent Putin critic and her death was being investigated by Mr Litvinenko.

Mr Hain, a contender for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party, said: "The promise that President Putin brought to Russia when he came to power has obviously been clouded by what has happened since including an extremely murky murder of a senior Russian journalist.

"And there's lots of things that have been happening in Russia which actually cast a cloud over President Putin's success in binding the place together and in achieving economic stability out of chaos.

"His success in binding what is a disintegrating nation together with an economy which was collapsing into Mafioso-style chaos ... his success in that must be balanced against the fact there have been huge attacks on individual liberty and on democracy and it's important he retakes the democratic road in my view."

Tony Blair has sought to avoid any kind of public confrontation with Moscow over human rights concerns, while tensions have developed over Russia's energy markets. The Government has been asking Russia to open up its gas and oil markets to foreign investment.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Russia; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: belarus; cccp; commies; communism; democracy; hain; kazakhstan; kgb; northernireland; politboro; premierputin; putin; russia; sovietunion; supremesoviet; ussr
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To: M. Espinola

Mr. Hain should better look after Northern Ireland which is not a paragon of peaceful lifestyle on its own. Go and see Belfast and you will know what I mean.

There are few places in the world where you would see roadside posters like "Beware of snipers". Northern Ireland is one of them.

Needless to say, that killing and maiming renegades was hugely popular in Northern Ireland (kneecap shooting, rings the bell?). So Mr. Hain better should mind his own business.


21 posted on 11/26/2006 11:07:15 PM PST by K. Smirnov (Do not let the sands of time get into your lunch)
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To: K. Smirnov

22 posted on 11/27/2006 9:53:34 AM PST by M. Espinola (Freedom is never free)
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To: M. Espinola
And what is this? Man, there are SO many pictures of Bush making faces, that it would be a mauvez tone to publish them over here.

Do you have anything better?

Joseph Flavius a jewish historian living in 1st century AD said in his "Wars of the Jews" (right in the beginning):

3. It is true, these writers have the confidence to call their accounts histories; wherein yet they seem to me to fail of their own purpose, as well as to relate nothing that is sound. For they have a mind to demonstrate the greatness of the Romans, while they still diminish and lessen the actions of the Jews, as not discerning how it cannot be that those must appear to be great who have only conquered those that were little. Nor are they ashamed to overlook the length of the war, the multitude of the Roman forces who so greatly suffered in it, or the might of the commanders, whose great labors about Jerusalem will be deemed inglorious, if what they achieved be reckoned but a small matter.

Rings the bell?

23 posted on 11/27/2006 11:30:43 AM PST by K. Smirnov (Do not let the sands of time get into your lunch)
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To: K. Smirnov
That reaction was directed at your previous comment: "So Mr. Hain better should mind his own business."

Grant it the north of Ireland remains bogged down in the Troubles although they are not as horrible as in past years. Mr. Hain and for that matter any elected official or private citizen has the duty to speak out concerning evil in the world. To deny Mr. Hain that right would be Putin's way of silencing his critics permanently, which is typical KGB tactics regarding the London assassination.

No investigations are required relating to Putin arming the ever expanding Axis of Evil since it is fact. On the photo.

I agree there are most likely more photos with Bush making funny & strange faces.

From your point of view I also fully understand as a citizen of Russia, it's normal for a citizen to defend his nation's top politician, especially when the whole world has grave suspicions concerning a multiplicity of exceedingly alarming issues brought about by Putin's actions. The investigations have only begun. KGB agents should be used to investigations.

24 posted on 11/27/2006 11:49:33 AM PST by M. Espinola (Freedom is never free)
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To: K. Smirnov

What was your point in quoting from Josephus from his work "Wars of the Jews"?


25 posted on 11/27/2006 11:52:56 AM PST by M. Espinola (Freedom is never free)
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To: M. Espinola
The point is - to diminish your enemy (and I have no doubts you consider Russia to be your enemy) is to diminish yourself. That was the Joseph Flavius point on Romans, that is my point on American public opinion on Russia. (Hence - your photograph as a proof).

To stir up the argument I would ask you - what Rumsfeld was doing in Iraq in 1980s? Surely he was arranging sales of napkins. And where did Saddam get the mustard gas? Did USSR sell him that?

As to your statements like "it is obvious, so it is the fact"... I will not comment on that since it is obvious as well.

Have a good day.

26 posted on 11/27/2006 10:11:58 PM PST by K. Smirnov (Do not let the sands of time get into your lunch)
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To: M. Espinola
Indeed, Mr. Hain, should better mind his own business. IMHO he has little moral authority to teach others on democracy.

As to the right to speak of whatever concerns whomever - you are dead right. And I have the right to say too (having been in Northern Ireland many times), that with its present situation, I'd rather not take it as a paragon of democracy.

27 posted on 11/27/2006 10:18:43 PM PST by K. Smirnov (Do not let the sands of time get into your lunch)
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