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Bush chides Russia

PRAGUE (Czech Republic): United States President George W. Bush, already engaged in a dispute with Russia over a new U.S. missile defence system, risked fuelling tensions further by saying Moscow had ``derailed'' once-promising democratic reforms. In a speech celebrating democracy's progress around the globe — and noting places where improvements could be made — Mr. Bush said free societies emerge ``at different speeds in different places'' and should reflect local customs. But he said certain values were universal to all democracies, and rapped several countries for not embracing them. ``In Russia, reforms that once promised to empower citizens have been derailed, with troubling implications for democratic development,'' he said. Mr. Bush asserted that his being able to discuss Russia's democratic backsliding under President Vladimir Putin's leadership was indicative of the strong relationship between Russia and the U.S. — AP

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