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Tuesday, May 10, 2005

International

International

Russian system better than America's: Putin

Nick Paton Walsh

President takes a broad swipe at the cornerstone of George Bush policy

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin and George Bush on Sunday endured one of the bitterest patches of their reputed friendship when the pair made pointed criticisms of each other's democratic record and foreign policy hours before a key meeting. Mr. Putin told CBS news that, unlike America, Russia does not ``poke its nose into [America's] democratic system.''

The remarks came as the two men met at Mr. Putin's residence for an informal working dinner.

Their widely publicised entente has been overshadowed by growing U.S. criticism of Mr. Putin's authoritarian style, and Kremlin fury at Washington's increasing sway in the former Soviet Union.

In a barbed comment suggesting Mr. Bush's controversial election in 2000 lessened his right to lecture other states on their democratic record, Mr. Putin told the U.S. network: ``And you have other problems in your elections. Four years ago, your presidential election was decided by the court. The judicial system was brought into it. But we're not going to poke our noses into your democratic system because that's up to the American people.''

He also suggested the Russian electoral system was more democratic than the American one: ``In the United States, you first elect the electors and then they vote for the presidential candidates.

In Russia, the President is elected through the direct vote of the whole population. That might be even more democratic.''

Condoleezza Rice, Mr. Bush's Secretary of State, told reporters on Air Force One en route to Moscow: ``This is not an issue of lecturing Russia.''

But she added that ``the issue of common values and how Russia's democracy progresses'' was a key ``issue on the agenda''.

- Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005

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