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Russia warns of foreign meddling
MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) -- Russia warned foreigners against meddling in the ex-Soviet Union Tuesday, saying bids to force Ukraine-style democratic uprisings on the region or influence its politics would lead to extremism and unrest.
The Georgian and Ukrainian uprisings caused grave concern in Russia, and officials have accused the West of exploiting pro-democracy sentiment to undermine Moscow's influence in its own backyard, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
Georgia's 2003 "rose revolution" and Ukraine's 2004 "orange revolution," both sparked by rigged elections, they caused pro-democracy uprisings to be given the name of "colored revolutions" in Russia.
"We cannot agree with the methods of forcibly democratizing the whole former Soviet region, whether this is using colored revolutions or using political pressure through the media on existing authorities," said Grigory Karasin, a Russian deputy foreign minister.
"This would unavoidably lead to the destabilization of the situation in the region, bringing serious long-term difficulties and unforeseeable consequences, including in the sense of a rise in extremism."
Karasin, Russia's top official for links with the 12-nation CIS, made the comments in official daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta amid preparations for next week's summit of the main ex-Soviet grouping.
His comments followed a series of statements from President Vladimir Putin and security officials, who have accused charities and human rights groups of being fronts for spies aiming to form a less assertive government in Moscow.
Many officials say Belarus, called "Europe's last dictatorship" by Washington, could be the next target for pro-democracy activists during elections next year.
A recent crackdown by Belarus on ethnic Poles' cultural organizations is seen by analysts as a bid to stop an organized opposition emerging.
CIS leaders are to meet on August 26 in the Russian city of Kazan.
link: http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/eu...eut/index.html
MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) -- Russia warned foreigners against meddling in the ex-Soviet Union Tuesday, saying bids to force Ukraine-style democratic uprisings on the region or influence its politics would lead to extremism and unrest.
The Georgian and Ukrainian uprisings caused grave concern in Russia, and officials have accused the West of exploiting pro-democracy sentiment to undermine Moscow's influence in its own backyard, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
Georgia's 2003 "rose revolution" and Ukraine's 2004 "orange revolution," both sparked by rigged elections, they caused pro-democracy uprisings to be given the name of "colored revolutions" in Russia.
"We cannot agree with the methods of forcibly democratizing the whole former Soviet region, whether this is using colored revolutions or using political pressure through the media on existing authorities," said Grigory Karasin, a Russian deputy foreign minister.
"This would unavoidably lead to the destabilization of the situation in the region, bringing serious long-term difficulties and unforeseeable consequences, including in the sense of a rise in extremism."
Karasin, Russia's top official for links with the 12-nation CIS, made the comments in official daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta amid preparations for next week's summit of the main ex-Soviet grouping.
His comments followed a series of statements from President Vladimir Putin and security officials, who have accused charities and human rights groups of being fronts for spies aiming to form a less assertive government in Moscow.
Many officials say Belarus, called "Europe's last dictatorship" by Washington, could be the next target for pro-democracy activists during elections next year.
A recent crackdown by Belarus on ethnic Poles' cultural organizations is seen by analysts as a bid to stop an organized opposition emerging.
CIS leaders are to meet on August 26 in the Russian city of Kazan.
link: http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/eu...eut/index.html
You want them to do what? Follow the Hitler model?
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