The Hindu : International : West's views on terrorism skewed, says Putin

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 25, 2004

International

International

West's views on terrorism skewed, says Putin

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, SEPT. 24. The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has hit out against double standards in the West on combating terrorism.

"It is impossible to fight terrorism and extremism while maintaining that two heads of the hydra are dangerous but the third is not," Mr. Putin said.

"We must set aside everything that stands in the way of uniting our efforts and jointly moving towards this goal."

Speaking at an international congress of 115 news agencies from 100 countries of the world that opened in Moscow on Friday, the Russian leader came out against bending the meaning of `terrorism' to suit political goals. "English, French and Russian dictionaries give the same explanation to the word `terrorism'. Why then we use this term as we please, to suit the political circumstances of concrete groups in this or that country?" Mr. Putin queried. "Unless we learn to speak the same language, we will not attain our common goals and will not protect our people, all people in the world against this scourge of the 21st century, terrorism."

Mr. Putin rejected Western criticism of his anti-terror measures as a rollback on democracy by telling an anecdote to explain that Russia was not choosing between democracy and security.

"If a robber comes up to you on the street and demands your wallet or your life you of course give him your wallet," he said. "But what do you do if he demands either your heart or your head? Do you have a choice or not? He does not give you such a choice."

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International