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US downplays Putin outburst
13/02/2007 12:10 - (SA)
Washington - Russian President Vladimir Putin's weekend broadside against US foreign policy highlighted the growing assertiveness of a Kremlin emboldened by US missteps and flush with new-found oil and gas wealth, US analysts said on Monday.
But Putin's outburst at a high-level security forum in Germany is unlikely to signal a fundamental shift in the complex US-Russian relationship or a breakdown in co-operation between the former Cold War adversaries on several key issues, the experts and US officials said.
Government spokespeople were quick to play down the significance of Putin's remarks on Saturday, when he accused the United States of following an "extremely dangerous" unilateral foreign policy across the globe.
"I'm not sure things have shifted," said White House spokesperson Tony Snow when asked if Putin's remarks signalled a chill in relations, adding that the United States "does in fact regard Russia as an important ally".
Another senior official made light of the remarks, saying Putin seemed to have "pulled a speech out of the 1975 file, as opposed to the 2007 file".
"We get along fine," the official continued, putting Putin's speech in the category of "rhetorical flare-ups" that happen from time to time.
Worsening relations
Russia experts outside the government were less upbeat, saying Putin's criticism was consistent with a steady worsening in bilateral relations that began with Russia's strong opposition to the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Since then, Putin has consolidated his control over domestic politics and the economy while US politics and diplomacy became embroiled in the spiralling Iraq crisis.
At the same time, rising world prices for Russia's vast oil and gas reserves have given him the wherewithal to project Moscow's influence abroad.
"This is a reflection of Russia's growing assertiveness as a more self-confident great power," Taras Kuzio, an analyst at George Washington University, said of Putin's speech.
"They're flush with oil and gas money (and) want the West to respect and take their position into account," he said.
Iran nuclear standoff
Bilateral tensions have been building over a slew of issues, from US criticism of Putin's record on human rights to Nato expansion into the former Soviet bloc, plans to put US anti-missile weapons in Eastern Europe and US unease over Russia's use of energy resources as a diplomatic weapon.
But the two powers are also co-operating on critical issues like Afghanistan and nuclear disarmament negotiations with North Korea and experts said they expected this to continue, even if Russia may be more aggressive in the process.
"There will still be co-operation," added Kuzio, "but Russia will just be a tougher partner to deal with and will demand far more in return."
The one flashpoint that could derail all co-operation, they said, is the standoff over Iran's nuclear programme.
Russia voted with the United States last year on a UN resolution imposing sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, but only after first insisting the measures be far more limited than those sought by Washington.
- AFP
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