U.S. domination threatens globe, Putin claims in harsh speech

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...5_putin11.html

By THOM SHANKER and MARK LANDLER
The New York Times
2/11/2007

MUNICH, Germany — Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the United States on Saturday of provoking a new nuclear-arms race by developing ballistic-missile defenses, undermining international institutions, making the Middle East more unstable through its clumsy handling of the Iraq war and trying to divide modern Europe.

In an address to an international security conference, Putin dropped all diplomatic gloss to recite a long list of complaints about U.S. domination of global affairs, included many themes that have strained relations between the Kremlin and the United States during his seven-year administration. Among them were the expansion of NATO into the Baltics and the perception in Russia that the West has supported groups that have toppled other governments in Moscow's former sphere of influence.

"The process of NATO expansion has nothing to do with modernization of the alliance," Putin said. "We have the right to ask, against whom is this expansion directed."

He said the United States had turned the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which sends international monitors to elections in the former Soviet sphere, "into a vulgar instrument of ensuring the foreign-policy interests of one country."

The comments were the sternest yet from Putin, who long has bristled over U.S. criticism as he and his cadre of former Soviet intelligence officials have consolidated their hold on Russia's government, energy reserves and arms-manufacturing and trading complexes. The speech may have been directed at least in part to audiences in Russia, where Putin long has enjoyed high public-approval ratings, in part for standing up to the West.

Rubble from the Berlin Wall was "hauled away as souvenirs" to countries that praise openness and personal freedom, he said, but "now there are attempts to impose new dividing lines and rules, maybe virtual, but still dividing our mutual continent."

The world, Putin said, is now unipolar: "One single center of power. One single center of force. One single center of decision making. This is the world of one master, one sovereign."

With German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and a U.S. congressional delegation sitting stone-faced, Putin warned that power amassed by any nation that assumes this ultimate global role "destroys it from within. It has nothing in common with democracy, of course."

"Today we are witnessing an almost uncontained hyper use of force in international relations — military force," Putin said.

"Primarily the United States has overstepped its national borders, and in every area," Putin said, accusing Washington of political and economic offenses. But most of his critique centered on U.S. national-security policy.

U.S. military actions, which he termed "unilateral" and "illegitimate," also "have not been able to resolve any matters at all," and have created only more instability and danger. "They bring us to the abyss of one conflict after another," he said. "Political solutions are becoming impossible."

In Washington, Gordon Johndroe, a White House spokesman, said: "We are surprised and disappointed with President Putin's comments. His accusations are wrong. We expect to continue cooperation with Russia in areas important to the international community such as counterterrorism and reducing the spread and threat of weapons of mass destruction."

A friendship gone sour
The back-and-forth underscored the recent stark changes in U.S.-Russian relations. The friendship that was struck when President Bush met Putin and said he had looked into the former KGB colonel's soul in 2001 has soured as the Kremlin suppressed political opposition at home, used its energy resources to pressure its neighbors and split with the White House over Iraq, Iran and other issues.

Russia has faced criticism from the United States and other Western countries that believe it has used energy reserves and transport pipelines to reward friendly countries and to punish those seeking to distance themselves from Kremlin control. Some analysts saw the tone of the speech as evidence of just how strong oil and mineral revenues have made Putin.

The occasion of the speech was the 43rd Munich Conference on Security Policy — an event begun deep in the Cold War, when Germany was divided and hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops were stationed in Western Europe as a bulwark against communist Warsaw Pact forces.

Putin opened with an apology for the tough talk to come. But during a lively question-and-answer period full of challenges and rebukes, the Russian president indicated that he relished provoking the international audience of legislators, government leaders, political analysts and human-rights advocates. "I love it," Putin said as he reviewed a long list of questions.

He did offer at least two significant and conciliatory statements to the United States.

President Bush "is a decent man, and one can do business with him," he said. From their meetings and discussions, Putin said, he has heard the U.S. president say, "I assume Russia and the United States will never be enemies, and I agree."

And while Putin denied that Russia had assisted the Iranian military with significant arms transfers, he also criticized that country's government for not cooperating more with the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency or responding to questions about its nuclear program.

Congressmen take issue
U.S. legislators offered measured criticism after the speech.

"He's done more to bring Europe and the U.S. together than any single event in the last several years," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. "It was seen as unnecessary bravado."

Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., described the speech as "confrontational," saying "some of the rhetoric takes us back to the Cold War."

Putin joked that he worried the United States was "hiding extra warheads under the pillow," despite treaties with Moscow to reduce strategic nuclear stockpiles. And he indicated obliquely that the new Russian ballistic missile, known as the Topol-M, was being developed at least in part in response to U.S. efforts to field missile defenses.

He expressed alarm that an effective anti-missile shield over the United States would upset a system of mutual fear that kept the nuclear peace throughout the Cold War. "That means the balance will be upset, completely upset," Putin said.

Addressing tensions between Europe and Russia over energy exports, Putin noted that 26 percent of Russian oil was extracted by foreign companies. While Russia is open to outside investment, he said, it has found its businessmen blocked from deals abroad.