Posted on 04/26/2007 8:25:06 AM PDT by WesternCulture
Russia may stop implementing a key defence treaty because of concerns over US plans for a missile shield in Europe, President Vladimir Putin said. Mr Putin made the threat during his annual address to parliament - which he said would be his last as president.
He also hit out at an influx of foreign money which he said was being used to meddle in Russia's internal affairs.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice dismissed Russian concerns over the missile shield as "ludicrous".
BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says Mr Putin's speech marks a significant raising of diplomatic stakes.
The Russian president suggested that his country should freeze its compliance with the 1990 Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty - which limits military deployments across the continent - until all Nato countries had ratified it.
The treaty was adapted in 1999 after the collapse of the Warsaw Pact, but Nato states have not yet ratified the new version, linking it to the withdrawal of Russian forces from Georgia and Moldova.
Mr Putin accused Nato states of exploiting the situation to increase their military presence near Russia.
He said that the Russian moratorium would continue "until all countries of the world have ratified and started to strictly implement it".
If there was no progress at upcoming talks between Nato and Russia, Russia would "look at the possibility of ceasing our commitments under the CFE treaty", he said.
The US wants to station 10 interceptor missiles in Poland, with radar operations in the Czech Republic - which Russia strongly opposes.
"The Russians have thousands of warheads. The idea that you can somehow stop the Russian strategic nuclear deterrent with a few interceptors just doesn't make sense," said the US secretary of state in Oslo, ahead of the Nato-Russia meeting.
Nato Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said that he would seek a further explanation of Russia's position at the talks.
'MEDDLERS'
Mr Putin also hit out at those who he said were using democracy as a pretext to interfere in politics.
"There is a growing influx of foreign cash used to directly meddle in our domestic affairs," Mr Putin said.
"Not everyone likes the stable, gradual rise of our country," he said. "There are some who are using the democratic ideology to interfere in our internal affairs."
He did not specify those responsible, but in the past Russian authorities have accused the West of funding groups that oppose the government.
He also called for a moment of silence in memory of former President Boris Yeltsin, whom he said had laid the foundations for a changed Russia. He called for a library to be established in Mr Yeltsin's name.
Other highlights included:
- praise for Russia's economy, which he said was now one of the 10 largest in the world
- a funding boost for state housing, using some of the proceeds from the auction of bankrupt oil giant Yukos
Mr Putin's speech was delayed by a day because of Mr Yeltsin's state funeral.
He reiterated his pledge to step down in March 2008, after serving two terms as president.
In neither the US or the EU, there’s a ‘hunger’ for any ‘holy Russian soil’. Geopolitics is dead.
Being Swedish, I’m well aware of the hatred and struggle between our two countries in the past, but the incentives to the struggle for ‘domination’ of the Baltic region is since long gone.
Today, power and prosperity comes from healthy capitalist enterprise. In this field, the Russians are our close partners and allies and the same goes for all of Europe and the US as well.
Sometimes, uneducated peasants have more of common sense than the rulers of a country. 15 years ago, I saw an old man from the Russian countryside being interviewed on TV. To the question ‘What should Russians do in order to make their economy catch up with the West?’, he responded;
‘Invite the Vikings again’.
Since then, not only Scandinavian/Viking companies like Ericsson, Volvo, ABB (Swiss/Swedish), Nokia and Scania have brought Western technology to Russia, but all sorts of Western and Japanese technology and capital have found their way too. No wonder the Russian economy today is healthier than at the time of the days of Soviet bankruptcy.
Why not put an end to all sissy quarreling and instead build a joint EU-Russian-US missile shield to defend Western Civilization from the maniacs in power in Tehran and Pyongyang?
Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet was equally dismissive, saying that the statement was regrettable and misleading, a foreign ministry statement read. 'President Putin should know that (the CFE treaty) is not in force, because it has not been ratified by all parties,' Paet said. 'Most of the countries have not ratified it because Russia has not met its Istanbul obligations of withdrawing its armed forces from Georgia and Moldova,' he added.
'Ratification by NATO allies of the adapted treaty is awaiting Russia's ... continued fulfilment of its Istanbul summit commitments regarding withdrawals of Russian forces from Georgia and Moldova,' a US State Department fact sheet said.
And according to both Paet and Pabriks, the Baltic states - who joined NATO in 2004 and were not signatory to either the 1990 treaty or the 1999 amendment - cannot make any move to join the treaty until its original signatories have ratified it. 'Russia never honoured its commitment to pull its troops out of Georgia and Moldova. That makes it impossible for Latvia to join the treaty,' Pabriks said bluntly.
“How DARE you show an ability to destroy missiles and save millions of lives? It is clearly a threat to us, even though the system cannot serve any offensive purpose! We must retaliate!!! Ivan, call that Pelosi woman and have her declare another jihad or something.”
What about "bombing to the Stone Age" on the pretext of Chechnya, Khodorkovsky or whatever else? Nukes rein in well.
Swedish, I’m well aware of the hatred and struggle between our two countries in the past, but the incentives to the struggle for ‘domination’ of the Baltic region is since long gone.
Did Putin really say anything on Sweden?
No wonder the Russian economy today is healthier than at the time of the days of Soviet bankruptcy
Sorry, but not because of Western investments or opening businesses. There are some, but in country-wide scale they're insignificant.
Why not put an end to all sissy quarreling and instead build a joint EU-Russian-US missile shield to defend Western Civilization from the maniacs in power in Tehran and Pyongyang?
Probably, that's an option, probably no.
I'm sorry, but what is the connection between the two treaties?
The Istanbul agreement is a modification of the original CFE treaty.
and Russia has ratified the amended version, but the United States and other NATO members have refused to do so until Moscow abides by its commitment to withdraw troops from the former Soviet republics of Moldova and Georgia.(From the original article)
If the treaty is ratified only by Russia, and the other parties are refusing to do that, than what's the point? The treaty hasn't been in effect and it won't be.
Big deal, Vlad. You think not cooperating isn’t something America is used to in its dealings with clowns?
Sheesh.
“Did Putin really say anything on Sweden?”
- No, but Sweden is one of the Western European countries Russia has been at war with in history and I’m Swedish, therefore it’s relevant. Sweden furthermore has plenty of weapons close to Russian soil and vice versa. Just like this is no reason for Swedes and Russians to feel threatened by each other, Russians have no reason to feel threatened by weapons in Poland and The Czech Republic.
“Sorry, but not because of Western investments or opening businesses. There are some, but in country-wide scale they’re insignificant.”
- Western companies have invested a lot in Russia lately and trade is at an all time high. Just look at how Western countries/companies/persons invest on the Russian Stock Market. We Swedes alone have billions of dollars invested over there.
All the same, I’m NOT saying the West has rescued Russia or anything like that. It’s all about tearing down walls that both parts have benefited from. You might as well say imports of Russian natural resources and Russian demand for Western European products of all kind have boosted the Western European economies.
Finally, I don’t see why a lot of Russians as well as a lot of Western Europeans (like Prodi, PM of Italy and former President of The European Comission) don’t wish to see Russia as a member of the EU in a distant future. It’s time to forget the Cold War and redicover our common heritage in terms of religion, culture, science, literature, business and friendship.
Russia ratified the treaty. They just have no respect for their own laws so they refuse to fulfill the commitment they agreed to.
Hmm. I cannot imagine Sweden waging a war against Russia today, but can do it concerning the USA. As for Sweden, I haven't met any bad feeling towards Sweden for 31 years in the USSR or in Russia. Probably, we should have because we don't know something. Russia opposes the US policy, Russian convential forces are a joke, (I hope, temporaly) so the nukes are necessary to refrain the USA from a military attack on Russia.
The above installations can potentially decrease the military value of the Russian nukes, so we must do something about it, like upgrading the latter.
Or, let's turn the chess board: Russia isn't hostile to the USA, "evil" countries like Iran cannot fire more than a couple of nukes at the USA so the USA needn't such a considerable nuclear arsenal now. Is it an option? Why?
Western companies have invested a lot in Russia lately and trade is at an all time high. Just look at how Western countries/companies/persons invest on the Russian Stock Market. We Swedes alone have billions of dollars invested over there.
Okay I'll try to compare this with the Russian GDP figure.
It’s all about tearing down walls that both parts have benefited from.
We aren't going to do it on our account. We pursuing are own interests and sometimes they differ with the West's and that's not a tragedy. Let's get real.
Finally, I don’t see why a lot of Russians as well as a lot of Western Europeans (like Prodi, PM of Italy and former President of The European Comission) don’t wish to see Russia as a member of the EU in a distant future. It’s time to forget the Cold War and redicover our common heritage in terms of religion, culture, science, literature, business and friendship.
Just because we're different. Russia's religion is Orthodox Christianity, European's is Catholicism or Protestantism. An Orthodox's goal is to save soul for Heavenly Kingdom, a Protestant's goal is to earn more money (and he, who can't, is obviously a sinner).
Treaties are entities of private law. If only one party signed while the others refuse to do it, the contract is inefficient.
Nobody made Russia sign the treaty into law. Why in the world would others ratify it when Russia has already shown they have no intention of following their own laws? Russia wants everyone else to follow the treaty while they violate it with impunity. What else should be expected from a KGB alumnus who was loyal for his entire career to the Soviet Gestapo that enslaved his fellow countrymen?
- That’s nice to hear! During the Soviet days, Swedes were highly suspicious and negative towards Soviet, although we didn’t feel like we had any problem with the common people of Russia or any other member state of the union. The traditional attitude among Swedes were that Russia as such is a marvelous and fascinating nation with a population that, sadly enough, had been brainwashed and subjugated by a dictatorship.
“..nukes are necessary to refrain the USA from a military attack on Russia”
- Why would the US of today wish to attack Russia? Or do you mean such an unlikely situation, in theory, could develop?
“Okay I’ll try to compare this with the Russian GDP figure.”
- According to this list, The (nominal) GDP of Sweden isn’t exactly minute compared to that of Russia. The accumulated GDP of the ‘Viking’ nations (Finland included) is considerably higher than that of Russia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28Nominal%29
To begin with, Swedes as well as other Scandinavians have invested a lot of pension money on the Russian stock market. Then we have investments from private corporations and so on - and this is just Scandinavia.
ON THE OTHER HAND, this money is finding the way back to Scandinavia. Just one single example of this; I recently worked at the main plant of Volvo here in Gothenburg/Göteborg where we build the most expensive Volvo’s like the XC90 SUV and the S80 luxury sedan. Few cars that left the assembly line costed less than € 50 000. A lot of them went to Russia.
The bottom line is this: we’re getting rich together and this is due to achievements from both our countries.
“Just because we’re different. Russia’s religion is Orthodox Christianity, European’s is Catholicism or Protestantism. An Orthodox’s goal is to save soul for Heavenly Kingdom, a Protestant’s goal is to earn more money (and he, who can’t, is obviously a sinner).”
- Mammon is not the god worshiped by Protestants. The idea of Lutheran work ethics is that you serve God by being a hard working, moral and good hearted person. Traditionally, it has often been considered sinful in the Lutheran world to be greedy, to live a life in luxury or to fall in love in itself.
I wonder if the differences between Russians and Swedes are greater than those between Swedes and people from Sicily, Romania or Cyprus. If you honestly feel Russia is so different from Western Europe it could not contribute to the process of creating a unified, prosperous Europe as a full EU member, I have no objections. But perhaps Russians will feel different in 20-30 years, who knows?
Two corrections:
1. My home city is called ‘Göteborg’ in Swedish (it came out a little funny)
2. I wrote “..to live a life in luxury or to fall in love in itself”.
It was intended to read “..to live a life in luxury or to fall in love with money in itself”.
Sorry.
Does he mean Marx, or Engels?
And that's mutual. Just try asking your neighbors whether Russians are Europeans.
- Communism and Fascism/Nazism are roots to the greatest tragedies of Western history. Still these ‘teachings’ continue to attract followers around the globe.
Strange how people in many nations outside of Western Europe think these are the most attractive things we have to offer.
Well, the Russians have learned the lesson and hopefully, China will one day be Communist ‘in name only’.
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