Don't meddle in our affairs, Gorbachev warns the West

[cal04]

MIKHAIL GORBACHEV has called on Western countries to stop interfering in Russia’s domestic affairs.
Putting pressure on President Putin over human rights at next month’s G8 summit in St Petersburg, to be chaired by Russia, would be counterproductive, the last leader of the Soviet Union told The Times in an exclusive interview.

“Russia is not anyone’s domain. Russia will work these things out — together with our partners and friends. The Presidents and Prime Ministers at the G8 can raise whatever they want. But the more it is seen that the West is putting pressure on, the more it will strengthen President Putin, because in essence his position is very close to the aspirations of the people,” he said yesterday.

“I have said myself that Putin has made mistakes. But the principles of democracy are realised in a specific context, and you have to bear in mind the Russian historical, economic and social situation.”

(snip)Speaking in Venice at the end of a WPF seminar on “Media between Citizens and Power”, Mr Gorbachev said: “Why should foreign organisations be involved in the Russian political process? The Orange Revolution in Ukraine was mostly of domestic origin, because people were upset about corruption and angry over the Kuchma regime. But there is another factor, that the US Embassy was heavily involved, and of course America has great experience in interfering in the affairs of other countries. Had this same thing been happening in America, I am sure that they would have put an end to outside interference.”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2243314,00.html

[Endangered Specie]

1. Hold a grudge much, Mr. Gorbachev?

:sarcasm:

[indepat]

2. Get over it, Mikhail, RW juntas meddle in whose affairs they choose

[Odin2005]

3. What's so bad about the US helping Ukrainian patriots?

[Thickasabrick]

4. I agree with Gorby on this....we really need to butt out and solve

our own problems first. Then we'll be more in a position to "dictate" to others....if we really want to go down that road.

[Skink]

6. That would be leading...

Something not seen in America since 2000.

[VegasWolf]

5. The US is one of the last countries in the world that should be talking

about human rights, after the killing of 50,000 - 100,000 Iraqi civilians for oil.

[nolabels]

10. Probably way over a million

The US has done substantial meddling in Iraq for over a half century. In the last couple of decades the facilitating the Iraq-Iran war, the con job to get Saddam to invade Kuwait, gulf war 1, over a decade of economic embargo with constant low level bombing and then the invasion and current occupation. The US wants to talk about what again :shrug:

[partylessinOhio]

7. I love Gorby! He could take down * any old day.

I'd like to see * look into Gorby's eyes and then make that silly soul comment.

[Disturbed]

8. Is this a reply to the Asshole Cheney's stupid comments

regarding Russia?

[Crunchy Frog]

9. I love Gorby too.

* isn't fit to lick his shoes, quite frankly.

Gorby is absolutely right that domestic democratic movements and revolutions get tainted and delegitimized when there has been foreign meddling. We don't stand for foreigners meddling in our politics here, why should other countries?

[Eugene]

11. Reuters: Russia falls short of G8 standards

Russia falls short of G8 standards
Sun Jun 25, 2006 12:08 AM BST

By Adrian Croft

LONDON (Reuters) - Russia does not meet democratic standards for membership
of the Group of Eight and its leadership of the rich nations' club risks
destroying the G8's credibility, a think-tank said on Sunday.

Russia has gone backwards in its respect for democracy and civil liberties
since it took over the presidency of the G8 in January, the Foreign Policy
Centre said in a report published before a Group of Eight summit
in St. Petersburg on July 15-17.

The Foreign Policy Centre is an independent think-tank whose patron is
Prime Minister Tony Blair.

<snip>

"He has systematically dismantled Russian democracy and that very fact
in some ways makes a mockery of the G8," said Barnes, director of the
centre's "Future of Russia Programme".

<snip>

Full article: http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-06-24T230819Z_01_L24795587_RTRUKOC_0_UK-RUSSIA-G8.xml

Russia's internal affairs are its own business, but if it aspires for
leadership among the world's democracies, a leader should set
a better example.

I know. I know. Leaders like Bush and Blair hardly set the greatest
of examples themselves.