If elected president, John Kerry to criticize Putin

John Kerry believes that Putin failed to develop a proper strategy to stabilize the situation in Chechnya

The issue of relations with Russia takes an important position in the foreign policy program of the Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. Kerry's advisor for Russia, Graham Allison, from Harvard University says that the program outlines the priorities of the policy with Russia. If John Kerry is elected president, he will pay special attention to the anti-terrorist struggle. Russia is said to play USA's most important partner at this point.

According to Allison, Kerry believes that Russia's wish to build the modern democratic society with market economy is important not only for Russia in particular, but also for the USA and for the rest of the world. However, Allison added, Putin's actions taken after the hostage crisis in Beslan showed that the Russian president wanted to put an end to democracy in Russia. The actions, for example, include the abolishment of free gubernatorial elections, the restriction of freedom of speech and press. Putin used to be open about his disagreement with the US-led incursion in Iraq. It was a correct position tot take for other leaders of friendly states. If Kerry takes the office of the US president, he will not be silent about the mistakes that Putin makes in home or foreign policies. Those mistakes, Allison said, take Russia away from its goal to become a respectable member of the democratic society.

John Kerry believes that Putin failed to develop a proper strategy to stabilize the situation in Chechnya, like Bush failed to find the correct stance as far as Iraq and the anti-terrorist struggle is concerned. When Bush stated to US military men that the mission in Iraq had been accomplished, it was nothing but wishful thinking. Putin also informed the Russian nation about the normalization of life in Chechnya. Graham Allison is certain that one should trace and destroy terrorists, although it is also vital to take active measures to deprive them of their financial sources and of the influence they exert on population.

John Kerry's advisor for Russia believes that Putin was wrong, when he said that terrorists would benefit greatly from Bush's failure to win the US presidential election. Allison said that Putin could probably promise Bush to support him at the election. However, the advisor added, Putin's statement brought more harm than good. Neither US intelligence agents nor independent experts believe that attacks against American soldiers in Iraq have something to do with the election campaign in the USA, Graham Allison stated.

Yevgeni Bay