Gold9472
05-18-2006, 08:46 AM
Bush urged to give Putin the cold shoulder
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/3def4476-e60a-11da-b309-0000779e2340.html
(Gold9472: That makes perfect sense. Disrespect the leader of the second largest nuclear power in the world.)
By Guy Dinmore in Washington
Published: May 18 2006 03:00 | Last updated: May 18 2006 03:00
President George W. Bush may give Vladimir Putin the cold shoulder when the Russian president hosts the Group of Eight summit in St Petersburg if hardliners in the US win a policy battle over how to respond to what they see as Moscow's increasingly wayward behaviour.
While there is no doubt the US president will attend the July summit, despite calls by Republican senator John McCain, and others, for a boycott, Mr Putin could be on the receiving end of what is called the "minimalist approach".
"There is a push for the president to do the bare minimum in St Petersburg," said Nikolas Gvosdev, editor of the National Interest, a publication of the Nixon Center think-tank that promotes a "realistic" US approach to Russia.
This would mean no "chumminess" with Mr Putin, such as private dinners, and could involve a side-trip to a former Soviet satellite as a platform for a speech on democracy. Viktor Yushchenko has invited Mr Bush to Kiev, but that visit might come in June, provided the president of Ukraine has formed a coalition government.
The White House said no decisions had been taken on the US president's precise timetable for the July 15-17 summit of the world's leading industrialised democracies.
Tensions are also rising over the agenda. The US wants to tackle a wide range of issues that are sensitive for Mr Putin, including Chechnya.
The Bush administration is also pondering whether to send an official to an "Alternate Russia" conference of opposition politicians and non-government organisations brought together by Garry Kasparov, the chess grandmaster and critic of Mr Putin. The conference is to be held in Moscow just before the G8 summit.
Dick Cheney, the US vice- president, is said to be leading the Washington charge for a tougher line towards Russia - as seen in his broadside launched from Lithuania when he accused Mr Putin of backsliding on democracy and using oil and gas for blackmail and intimidation.
For Mr Cheney, according to administration insiders, the key issue is Iran. They say he is furious at Russia's arms sales to Tehran and its resistance to United Nations sanctions over the Islamic republic's nuclear programme.
Condoleezza Rice, secretary of state, backs a more nuanced approach towards Moscow.
Mr Gvosdev said the "minimalist approach" would be a compromise between the extremes of no-show and whole-hearted engagement. Much could change in the two months before the summit, especially if Russia shifts on Iran.
"Who is in charge of US policy towards Russia?" asked Edward Lozansky, president of the American University in Moscow, at the opening of a business conference in Washington sponsored by Lukoil, the Russian energy giant.
Yuri Ushakov, Russia's ambassador to Washington, spoke of a "war of words" and heated rhetoric directed at Russia "from certain political quarters" - remarks clearly directed at Mr Cheney. Relations could suffer a serious blow, he warned.
Nicholas Burns, under-secretary of state, said in Moscow last month that the US wanted the summit to include discussion of the "anti-democratic" regime in Belarus, and disputed territories in Moldova and Georgia - sensitive issues Russia sees as its own internal affairs.
Igor Shuvalov, Russia's G8 envoy, said this week that G8 foreign ministers might discuss these issues at a Moscow meeting on June 29 but Russia would not add them to the summit agenda.
"We, as holder of the G8 presidency, will not include them in the agenda," he said, though adding that other countries could raise them. "We have a clear understanding of our leadership plans . . . and we don't think we should do anything that could reduce the quality of decision-making on the main issues."
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/3def4476-e60a-11da-b309-0000779e2340.html
(Gold9472: That makes perfect sense. Disrespect the leader of the second largest nuclear power in the world.)
By Guy Dinmore in Washington
Published: May 18 2006 03:00 | Last updated: May 18 2006 03:00
President George W. Bush may give Vladimir Putin the cold shoulder when the Russian president hosts the Group of Eight summit in St Petersburg if hardliners in the US win a policy battle over how to respond to what they see as Moscow's increasingly wayward behaviour.
While there is no doubt the US president will attend the July summit, despite calls by Republican senator John McCain, and others, for a boycott, Mr Putin could be on the receiving end of what is called the "minimalist approach".
"There is a push for the president to do the bare minimum in St Petersburg," said Nikolas Gvosdev, editor of the National Interest, a publication of the Nixon Center think-tank that promotes a "realistic" US approach to Russia.
This would mean no "chumminess" with Mr Putin, such as private dinners, and could involve a side-trip to a former Soviet satellite as a platform for a speech on democracy. Viktor Yushchenko has invited Mr Bush to Kiev, but that visit might come in June, provided the president of Ukraine has formed a coalition government.
The White House said no decisions had been taken on the US president's precise timetable for the July 15-17 summit of the world's leading industrialised democracies.
Tensions are also rising over the agenda. The US wants to tackle a wide range of issues that are sensitive for Mr Putin, including Chechnya.
The Bush administration is also pondering whether to send an official to an "Alternate Russia" conference of opposition politicians and non-government organisations brought together by Garry Kasparov, the chess grandmaster and critic of Mr Putin. The conference is to be held in Moscow just before the G8 summit.
Dick Cheney, the US vice- president, is said to be leading the Washington charge for a tougher line towards Russia - as seen in his broadside launched from Lithuania when he accused Mr Putin of backsliding on democracy and using oil and gas for blackmail and intimidation.
For Mr Cheney, according to administration insiders, the key issue is Iran. They say he is furious at Russia's arms sales to Tehran and its resistance to United Nations sanctions over the Islamic republic's nuclear programme.
Condoleezza Rice, secretary of state, backs a more nuanced approach towards Moscow.
Mr Gvosdev said the "minimalist approach" would be a compromise between the extremes of no-show and whole-hearted engagement. Much could change in the two months before the summit, especially if Russia shifts on Iran.
"Who is in charge of US policy towards Russia?" asked Edward Lozansky, president of the American University in Moscow, at the opening of a business conference in Washington sponsored by Lukoil, the Russian energy giant.
Yuri Ushakov, Russia's ambassador to Washington, spoke of a "war of words" and heated rhetoric directed at Russia "from certain political quarters" - remarks clearly directed at Mr Cheney. Relations could suffer a serious blow, he warned.
Nicholas Burns, under-secretary of state, said in Moscow last month that the US wanted the summit to include discussion of the "anti-democratic" regime in Belarus, and disputed territories in Moldova and Georgia - sensitive issues Russia sees as its own internal affairs.
Igor Shuvalov, Russia's G8 envoy, said this week that G8 foreign ministers might discuss these issues at a Moscow meeting on June 29 but Russia would not add them to the summit agenda.
"We, as holder of the G8 presidency, will not include them in the agenda," he said, though adding that other countries could raise them. "We have a clear understanding of our leadership plans . . . and we don't think we should do anything that could reduce the quality of decision-making on the main issues."