Russian Foreign Ministry advises U.S. to see own business

The Russian Foreign Ministry lashed out at the U.S. government's recent human rights report Thursday, saying the United States has its own problems to worry about. The U.S. State Department's annual human rights report, released on Monday, said Russia had serious problems including media freedom and mistreatment of prisoners. It was especially critical of Russian forces alleged abuses in rebel Chechnya. ''We will not tolerate the didactic tone and peremptory accusations which are issued by a state where it is by no means rare to have instances of police violence, anti-Semitism and racism ...'' the statement said. The statement took note of the State Department report's assessment that Russia was developing multiparty democracy, but added, ''Unfortunately, to this 'spoon of honey' the American propagandists tried to add their standard 'barrel of tar.'' Yet, the Russian Foreign Ministry expresses hope that the U.S. administration will be more unbiased in its assessments and free itself from a double-standard approach.