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Rice drops Russia speech
31/05/2007 17:31 - (SA)
Vienna - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice decided against making a planned speech on Russia in Vienna on Thursday, a day after trading diplomatic jabs with her Russian counterpart.
Rice, who was supposed to deliver a 15-minute speech to the Vienna-based Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, spoke instead only briefly about the OSCE's history and the adhesion of several former Soviet republics.
Journalists accompanying the US secretary of state on her European trip had been told by people close to her that her speech was to focus on relations between Europe and Russia.
A copy of the speech was to be handed out in advance but was never received.
Russia and the United States had traded diplomatic jabs on Wednesday over US plans to build a missile defence shield in eastern Europe - a move staunchly opposed by Moscow.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the United States of restarting the arms race while Rice described Moscow's concerns about the shield as "ludicrous".
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned again on Thursday that attempts to impose a "diktat" and "imperialism" in world affairs were dangerous and unhealthy, Interfax news agency reported.
- AFP
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