From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Fri Apr 21 2000 - 11:07:45 EDT
ALBRIGHT SETS 'WHOLE OF EUROPE' AGAINST RUSSIA - STATE DUMA SPEAKER
ASTANA (Kazakhstan). April 21 (Interfax) - State Duma speaker
Gennady Seleznyov has lashed out against U.S. Secretary of State
Madeleine, charging that she has not abandoned the attempt to impose the
Western notion of democracy on Russia and the countries of the
Commonwealth of Independent States.
"This is her favorite subject. Wherever she comes, she speaks
mainly about democracy," Seleznyov told a press conference at the end of
a visit by a delegation of the Russian parliament's lower house to
Kazakhstan.
"We are being raised to accept the American type of democracy,"
Seleznyov said, urging the Americans "to calm down" and "enjoy their
democracy."
Albright "has been a pain in the neck on Chechnya by actually
setting us against Europe," the speaker added, apologizing for using
"such a non-parliamentary" expression.
The Duma chairman said he believes that the U.S. will not forsake
their main "divide and conquer" principle even in the new century.
This principle "is as old as the world, but they [the U.S.] use it
effectively, disregarding that we are already entering the 21st century.
And in the 21st century, it will be their main one."
This is precisely why representatives of that country will assume a
high profile in the regions where they can gain more foothold, Seleznyov
charged, citing Albright's recent visit to Kazakhstan as an example.
"The Americans in this respect always try to look far beyond the
horizon, and once they see they can be the first somewhere and can
consolidate their interests, they are simply there," the chairman said.
According to him, once the integrated ties between the Commonwealth
countries begin to weaken "they [Americans] appear there right away."
The speaker also said he believes that the U.S. now is totally
uninterested in a strong Russia and in the re-creation of any allied
structures on post-Soviet territory. "Look how many obstacles they raise
to the Belarus-Russia Union," he added.
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