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Putin bashes West ahead of G8
04/06/2007 11:31 - (SA)
Moscow - Russian President Vladimir Putin has set the stage for a frosty Group of Eight summit this week by launching broadsides at the West over missile defence, Kosovo and democratic standards.
Putin will meet US President George W Bush and other
world leaders on Wednesday when they assemble in the German
Baltic Sea resort of Heiligendamm for their annual G8 meeting.
Putin signalled he would arrive at the summit in combative
mood, in an interview released on Sunday in which he reserved
his most uncompromising language to lambaste the United States
over its plans to build a missile defence shield in Europe.
He also indicated he would not shy away from fights with
German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her criticism of his human
rights record and British Prime Minister Tony Blair over the
politically-charged murder of a former Russian spy.
Jibe
Putin's comments came in an interview he gave to selected
media from G8 countries on Friday. The Kremlin released a
transcript of the interview on its internet site late on Sunday.
In a further jibe at the United States, Putin said no one
country should be allowed to dictate its views to others.
"Certain participants in the international arena assume that
their opinion is the ultimate truth. That, naturally, does not
help create an atmosphere of trust."
Putin also underlined the gulf between Russia and the West
over the future of Serbia's Kosovo province.
The United States and some European countries want a
resolution on effective independence for the province put to a
vote in the United Nations, but Russia has hinted it may use its
veto to block this.
"We hear only one answer. That we need to hurry. But hurry
where? What is happening that requires us to be in such a rush?"
Putin said.
He used the interview to counter allegations from Western
countries - including Merkel at a summit with Putin last month
- that he is rolling back democratic freedoms and stopping his
opponents from holding protests.
"Let's not be hypocritical about democratic freedoms and
human rights," said Putin.
"The United States today is the main violator of freedoms
and human rights on a global scale ... there are also grievances
towards France and Great Britain and Germany.
He said he respected peoples' right to protest but added:
"When people deliberately provoke the police ... then the
authorities are obliged to use the necessary means to bring them
to order."
Litvinenko murder 'politicised'
In comments likely to lead to tense exchanges when Putin
meets Blair at the G8 summit, the Russian leader accused Britain
of politicising the murder of former Russian security service
agent Alexander Litvinenko.
Litvinenko died in a London hospital after being poisoned
with polonium 210, a radioactive isotope. Putin said the affair
was being whipped up by Russian émigrés given refuge in London
after fleeing prosecution in Russia.
"After Britain allowed a significant number of crooks,
suspicious characters and terrorists to gather on its territory,
it ... endangered the life and health of Britain's own
subjects, and all the blame for that rests with Britain."
- Reuters
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