Putin: We’ll Defend Ourselves as We See Fit

2006-05-27

Richard Moore

What Putin says here makes a great deal of sense. Again, as with 
Chavez, it is refreshing to see statements from leaders that are not 
double-talk - like we always get from Anglo-American politicians.

When Cheney, for example, refers below to "democratic reforms", he is 
really talking about 'economic liberalization', which in turn is a 
euphemism for invading Russian markets and undermining Russian 
sovereignty.

rkm

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Original source URL:
http://www.russiajournal.com/2006/05/26/putin-we%25E2%2580%2599ll-defend-ourselves-as-we-see-fit/print/

- The Russia Journal - http://www.russiajournal.com -
Putin: We'll Defend Ourselves as We See Fit

Posted By Newsroom On 26th May 2006 @ 11:54 In Home, Politics, 
International, Defence | Comments Disabled

MOSCOW - Russia has defended and will defend its interests with 
methods it finds appropriate, like the United States does it, Russian 
President Vladimir Putin told reporters following a Russia-US summit 
in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. He was responding to US Vice 
President Dick Cheney's criticism of Russia's policy.

"As for assessments of our relations with other countries, it is with 
them that we will discuss these relations in the first place," Putin 
said. "We see how the US protects its interests, and we see what 
methods and means they use. When we fight for our interests, we too 
defend them using appropriate methods to solve our problems, and it 
is strange that some people are surprised by this," the Russian 
head-of-state underlined.

What surprised Putin the most was that third countries could state 
that the Russia-Ukraine agreement on gas exports was "a bad thing." 
Ukrainian businessmen, speaking through their President, say they are 
satisfied with the energy agreements with Russia, considering them 
"not just appropriate but absolutely and the only correct decisions," 
the Russian leader said.

At the same time, he stressed that the United States remained one of 
Russia's largest partners, and Russia appreciated cooperation with 
it. "There are many spheres in which partnership between Russia and 
the United States cannot be replaced by anything else," Putin said. 
He expressed confidence that this position is shared by many American 
partners, including US President George Bush.

At a conference in Vilnius on May 5, Dick Cheney criticized the 
Russian regime for backsliding on democracy and trying to use control 
of energy to blackmail its neighbors. Cheney said Russia should 
return to democratic reforms.

The Russian Foreign Ministry reacted to his criticism immediately. 
But Cheney said it was important to express your views openly and 
honestly, and he did not see his remarks on Putin's policy as sharp 
criticism. At the same time, he said he did not want to see an enemy 
in Russia.

Source: RBC.
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