Russia Vows Steps if Georgia and Ukraine Join NATO

MOSCOW: Russia will take military and other steps along its borders if ex-Soviet Ukraine and Georgia join NATO, Russian news agencies quoted the armed forces' chief of staff as saying on Friday.

"Russia will take steps aimed at ensuring its interests along its borders," the agencies quoted General Yuri Baluyevsky as saying. "These will not only be military steps, but also steps of a different nature," he said, without giving details.

Russia is opposed to NATO plans to grant membership to ex-Soviet Ukraine and Georgia, saying such a move would pose a direct threat to its security and endanger the fragile balance of forces in Europe.

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Russia is still trying to keep and exert the power they use to have over former Soviet Union countries. The not-so-hidden aggression and threats, both military and other, made by Russia shows that are strongly opposed to any surrounding nations joining NATO.

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Trip From Russia to USA May Take One Hour Soon

The construction of the tunnel linking Russia's Far Eastern Chukotka and the west coast of Alaska in the U.S. will start in the nearest future.

The history of the tunnel between Cape Dezhnev, the most eastern point of Asia, and Cape Prince of Wales, the most western point of North America, dates back to the early 20th century. After the Trans-Siberian railway was completed in 1916, Tsar Nicholas II proposed the building of the railway and ferry connection between North America and Eurasia. The idea was backed by the leaders of the Union of Pacific Railroad, but World War I and the October Revolution frustrated the plans.

Later the construction of the railroad to Bering Strait was proposed by Vladimir Lenin. He even signed a decree in 1918, but the construction wasn’t completed. In the 60s the conversation between America and USSR about the construction of the road between 2 countries started again. As a result the Interhemispheric Bering Strait Tunnel and Railroad Group was founded in Washington, D.C. But the tunnel required developed transportation system. So several years later Russians decided to build a road to the town of Magadan. In 2007 Russian president Vladimir Putin proposed the construction of the 2100-mile transcontinental railroad that would lead to Bering Strait.

The communication between Russia and the USA has been going on for more than 100 years and is still not over. The future tunnel is expected to go under the Bering Strait. Some newspapers link the project with Chukotka’s governor Roman Abramovich. It is estimated that a tunnel will cost 60 billion dollars. The 63-mile tunnel will be twice as large as the famous tunnel under La Manche that links Great Britain to France.

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The article sounds promising but it is still uncertain whether the tunnel dream will come true based up on the past. Talks about connecting Russia to the United States has been going on for one hundred years and something has always prevented the idea from becoming reality. The article goes on to say that the tunnel would not be built anytime in the near foreseeable future.

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Russia-Egypt Nuclear Deal Signed

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and President Vladimir Putin

"Egypt and Russia have signed a deal clearing the way for Russian involvement in building up Egypt's nuclear power industry.

Agreement was reached during talks in Moscow between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and President Vladimir Putin.

Russia will now be able to bid to build the first of four atomic power stations Egypt plans.

The first reactor, on the Mediterranean coast, will be constructed at a cost of more than $1.5bn (£750m). "

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This is important because Russia's nuclear plans and deals are causing an increase in world tension. The article also says that Russia is already building nuclear reactors in China, India and Iran and the Iranian plant at Bushehr is almost completed.

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Ukraine's Leader Points Out Drawback in Deal With Gazprom

City of Kiez

KIEV, March 14 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine's president criticized on Friday a new natural gas deal with Russia, saying it gave Russian state gas giant Gazprom too high a quota for direct gas sales in Ukraine, his spokeswoman said.

At a meeting with his prime minister and the head of state oil and gas company Naftogaz, President Viktor Yushchenko said that although he broadly supported the deal, it had altered a key instruction he earlier issued.

The agreement guarantees Gazprom minimum annual gas sales in Ukraine of 7.5 billion cubic meters, rather than setting this figure as an upper limit, as Yushchenko had ordered, press secretary Irina Vannikova said.

"This detail needs to be clarified," she said.

Premier Yulia Tymoshenko and Naftogaz CEO Oleh Dubyna met with the president to discuss details of the agreement reached on Thursday between Gazprom and Naftogaz to end their long-running gas dispute.

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Hopefully this agreement will mend the relationship between Russia and Ukraine. If they can not decide on an agreement, then this could lead to more gas disputes throughout Europe, which could then lead to gas shortages and higher prices.

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Nato Warned Over Georgian Regions

Dmitry Rogozin

"Two regions of Georgia are likely to secede if Nato seeks closer ties with the former Soviet state, Russia's ambassador to the alliance says.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia already run their own affairs, but Dmitry Rogozin said moves by the Tbilisi government to join Nato could lead to a final split.

His comments come ahead of a Nato summit which will consider beginning the membership process for Georgia.

Moscow is strongly opposed to neighbour Georgia joining the Western alliance.

"Abkhazia and South Ossetia do not intend to join Nato. They have a completely different view," Mr Rogozin told Reuters new agency."

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This resembles Russia’s disagreement with the Ukraine when they wanted to join NATO. Russia wants to keep a tight grip and control of its former Soviet States. The fact that some of Georgia’s regions would secede if Georgia joined NATO is also a concern. Hopefully everything can be resolved peacefully.

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Russia May Request Extradition of 'Merchant of Death' From Thailand

Viktor Bout

MOSCOW, March 6 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow may request the extradition of Russian businessman Viktor Bout, arrested in Thailand at the request of U.S. authorities on charges of illegal arms trading, a Russian law enforcement source said on Thursday.

Viktor Bout, 41, is a Russian former KGB major and an alleged arms dealer nicknamed "the Merchant of Death".

"At this time, Russia is awaiting investigation materials from Thailand...After that, a decision to request extradition may be taken," the source said.

Bout has reportedly been trafficking weapons to Central and West Africa since the early 1990s. U.N. reports say he set up a network of more than 50 aircraft around the world to facilitate his smuggled arms shipments.

He is considered by Western law enforcement as "the most prominent foreign businessman" involved in trafficking arms to U.N.-embargoed destinations from Bulgaria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and other countries.

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The article goes on to say that Bout may have been supplying terrorists groups like the Taliban and al-Qaeda, which is why the United States is very interested in Bout’s arrest. This situation could lead to more international problems for Russia if they do not comply with the wishes of the United States and the other countries that want to prosecute Viktor Bout for illegal arms dealing.
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Medvedev Reaches Out to Future U.S. Leader

Medvedev, who is predicted to be Russia's next president, "reached out, sort of, to Washington on Tuesday, saying he was willing to work with any future American president who isn't stuck in the past and doesn't have "semi-senile views." "Although of course it's easier to work with people who have modern positions, and not with those who have glints of the past in their eyes, who frequently profess such semi-senile views," he added.

Although Dmitry Medevedev is most likely to become the next president, there are many who critizice and some are even going to boycott the coming elections. "Garry Kasparov called out to Western nations to snub President Vladimir Putin's hand-picked successor, Dmitry Medvedev, and called for a boycott of Sunday's election and protests the following day." Also, a leading Russian human rights advocate and watchdog Amnesty International joined in the criticism of a presidential campaign that has been heavily tilted in Medvedev's favor.

"Kasparov's political movement plans protests on Monday in St. Petersburg and Moscow, despite a ban by Moscow authorities. Police have violently broken up such demonstrations in the past, and he predicted more riot police than demonstrators.Meanwhile, Sergei Kovalyov, a leading human rights advocate and Soviet-era political prisoner, sent an open letter to Putin and other officials calling the electoral process a "tasteless farce." He said the current situation in Russia is "a dead end from which not one path leads to democracy.""

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Now, when Russia had a chance to demonstrate a few qualities od democracy, they cannot even achieve that. All the while, Medvedev's existent, even though it is vague, offers hope for improved international relationships and better dealings specifically with Western nations like the US.

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Russia Pledges Support to Serbia

"The man tipped to become the next Russian president has vowed his country will "stick to" its support for Serbia in opposing Kosovo's independence.

Deputy PM Dmitry Medvedev was in Belgrade for talks with Serb President Boris Tadic and PM Vojislav Kostunica.

Although its focus is mainly economic, the visit is seen as a sign of support for Serbia's view on Kosovo, the BBC's Bethany Bell in Belgrade says.

Kosovo's declaration of independence sparked protests in Serbia last week.

"We proceed from the assumption that Serbia is a united country, whose jurisdiction covers the whole of its territory, and we shall stick to this principled stand," Mr Medvedev said during his meeting with Mr Kostunica, Russian news agency Itar-Tass reported."

Mr Medvedev's comments, and the timing of his visit, will be seen as evidence that Russia's foreign policy is unlikely to change once serving President Vladimir Putin steps down.

Mr Putin's term in office has seen a marked deterioration in relations with the West, most recently over the issues of Kosovo and Nato's ambitions in former eastern bloc states like Poland and the Czech Republic.

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This is important because it can cripple Russian international relationships. By supporting Serbia, Russia has alienated itself from the countries that support Kosovo’s independence. Tensions between Russia and the United States are now more strained than ever since the U.S supports Kosovo’s independence. The main reason Russia is backing Serbia is because of their trade deal between Gazprom and the Serbian state enterprise, Serbiagas.

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Estonia Fears Russia Dictatorship

Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves

"Russia could be sliding into dictatorship as Germany did soon after World War I, Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves has warned.

"There is a mentality of being stabbed in the back that reminds me of the Weimar Republic," Mr Ilves told Russia's Moscow Times newspaper.

The Weimar Republic is the name given to the German state in 1919-1933 - before Adolf Hitler's rise to power.

Estonia-Russia ties have been tense since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Last year, Tallinn and Moscow had an all-out row over the relocation of a Soviet-era war memorial in the Estonian capital. "

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This shows yet another tense international relationship involving Russia. Since the Estonian President is comparing Russia’s actions to those of the Weimar Republic, the people of both Russia and Estonia must feel uneasy about their borders with each other.

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Medvedev Accuses UK Organization of Spying

In an interview with the weekly Itogi, Putin's likely succesor, Dmitry Mevedev accused the British Council and foreign NGO with spying on Russia. Medvedev's strong comments came as a somewhat suprise, as he "has tended to take a less confrontational tone with the West than Putin, leading to speculation that his expected election on March 2 might ease tension that has built up in recent years."

"Medvedev suggested supporting Russian actions that led the British Council -- an international cultural body funded by the British government -- to suspend operations at its offices in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg. Moscow said the offices were operating illegally. "If someone allows you in their home, act decently," Medvedev said in the interview published on Itogi's Web site." He went on to say,"After all, it's known that state-financed structures like the British Council ... conduct a mass of other activities that are not so widely advertised. Among other things, they are involved in gathering information and conducting intelligence activity."

This confrontation has further poisoned the already less than cordial relationship between Britian and Russia that is "already strained by both countries' refusal to hand over suspects for prosecution. Raising memories of Soviet-style scare tactics, Russian staff of the council were interviewed at night by Russian police and intelligence agents."

"Medvedev also rejected Western accusations that Russia uses its energy riches as a tool in political blackmail, saying similar charges could just as easily be pressed against the United States."If one so desired, one could call the U.S. a financial aggressor and economic terrorist for forcing its currency and its business standards on the world," he said."


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Russia seems to be digging itself into a whole with its hostile attitude toward the Western nations. This also shows that Medvedev will not improve Russian ties with Britian as it was thought for some time. Not only will they not improve with Britian, making claims against the US like the one that he did could spark even more international issues for Russia.


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Russia Proposes to Ukraine Joint Development of Oil, Gas Fields

Gazprom Building

Moscow, February 20 (RIA Novosti) - Russia has proposed to Ukraine the joint development of hydrocarbon fields in both countries on the basis of equitable asset swaps, the Russian prime minister said on Wednesday after bilateral talks.

"Our proposals to Ukraine concern not only transit operations, but also the joint development of hydrocarbons deposits in both countries, with a commensurate swapping of assets," Viktor Zubkov said.

The prime ministers of Russia and Ukraine confirmed the natural gas commitments made by their respective presidents.

Following talks with his Ukrainian counterpart, Yulia Tymoshenko, Zubkov said: "We have reaffirmed our rigorous compliance with the commitments made by our presidents in this field."

He also there were good prospects for Russian-Ukrainian cooperation in the nuclear sphere and in power engineering.

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This article goes on to say that while imports from the Ukraine have increased to almost 40%, Russian exports only grew 9%. The latest agreement between the two countries seems to be a way for Russia to undo some of its past wrongs when dealing with Ukraine and perhaps reap some of Ukraine’s trade benefits. The direct link between Gazprom and Naftogaz could create a super gas company that could create a monopoly on fuel in their area and it could cause the price of fuel to fluctuate.

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Russia Proposes Space Arms Treaty

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov

"Russia and China have proposed a new international treaty to ban the use of weapons in outer space.

At a disarmament conference in Geneva, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said world security would suffer if an arms race in space was not stopped.

The draft treaty would prohibit the deployment of weapons in space and the use or threat of force against satellites or other craft, he said.

The United States has long opposed being bound by such an agreement.

Correspondents say tensions have increased in recent years over US plans for a new generation of missile shields.

In particular, Moscow is opposed to the country's plans to build part of its new system in Poland and the Czech Republic."

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This article is important because it could turn into another Cold War between Russia and China and the United States. China has recently started working on its own space program. Weapons launched into space will result in a chain reaction. Russia and China are worried that the United States, which has the upper hand in space arms technology, will not agree to the ban on weapons in space.

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Russia in Ukraine Missile Threat

Viktor Yushchenko

"Russia has said it may target its missiles at Ukraine if its neighbour joins Nato and accepts the deployment of the US missile defence shield.

Russian President Vladimir Putin made the comments in Moscow alongside Ukraine's President, Viktor Yushchenko.

Mr Putin has condemned US plans to include Poland and the Czech Republic in its missile defence shield.

The leaders had been meeting in urgent talks over a gas dispute and announced a deal to avoid disrupting supplies."

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The rest of the article discusses the other issues Russia is involved in. The countries in Europe are worried that since Russia has agreed to freeze gas prices while Ukraine pays back Gazprom, the prices of gas in Europe will fluctuate. Russia is responding to Ukraine’s attempt to join NATO by developing more high-tech weapons.

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Putin Tells Polish PM Russia wants to Improve Relations

Donald Tusk

MOSCOW, February 8 (RIA Novosti) - President Vladimir Putin told Poland's prime minister at talks in Moscow on Friday that Russia hopes to build a strong, businesslike relationship with its former Eastern Bloc ally.

Donald Tusk is currently on his first to Russia since he came to power in Poland in November 2007.

At the start of meeting Friday evening in the Kremlin, President Putin said: "I believe that re-establishing normal, businesslike cooperation and dialogue, embracing partnership and mutual interest, will allow us to find solutions to any problems."

The Polish premier told Putin his visit to Moscow has already shown that both countries want to put past hostilities behind them. Earlier in the day he met with Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov and First Deputy Premier Dmitry Medvedev, who is almost certain to be elected Russia's president next month.

The talks with Zubkov and Medvedev "clearly show that both sides are fed up with the 'cold' atmosphere," Tusk said.

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This is important because it shows that Russia is attempting to patch some of their damaged international relationships. The chance of reconcilation between Russia and Poland began when Donald Tusk became the Prime Minister of Poland. Russia stopped their meat embargo and they are working on more programs with Poland.

Russia Calls on Iran to Freeze Uranium Enrichment

MOSCOW, February 5 (RIA Novosti) - Russia has called on Iran to freeze uranium enrichment until key issues in its nuclear program have been cleared up with the IAEA, a Russian deputy foreign minister has said.

In an interview posted on the Foreign Ministry's official website on Tuesday, Sergei Kislyak said Iran should freeze enrichment activity until all of its nuclear program's "complicated points have been worked out."

"I believe that all this is entirely achievable if the appropriate political decisions are taken. International concerns can be easily allayed to create more favorable conditions for Iran's extensive cooperation with other countries," Kislyak said.

Western countries, particularly the U.S., suspect Tehran is pursuing a covert weapons program. However, Tehran has consistently claimed it needs nuclear power for civilian power generation and is fully entitled to its own nuclear program.

The Russian official hailed Iran's cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog in clarifying all the outstanding issues over its nuclear program. "This is very important in the context of restoring confidence related to Iran's [nuclear] program."

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This article is significant because this event could lead to more tension between the countries involved. It makes sense that Russia would be concerned about Iran's nuclear intentions since they are in close proximity. Russia is not trying to abolish Iran's nuclear program, they just want to make sure that everything Iran is working on has been cleared.

U-turn Settles UK-Russia Art Row

Henri Matisse's "The Dance"

"LONDON, England (CNN) -- A row over a ban on an exhibition of art loaned from Russia has been resolved after Britain brought forward laws that will protect the paintings from seizure.

Moscow's Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts has pulled the plug on a planned exhibition in London.

Russian officials had threatened to block the release of works by artists including Renoir, Cezanne, Van Gogh and Picasso in case their ownership was disputed by individuals claiming they were stolen during the 1917 revolution.

But on Friday Moscow backed down after Britain said it would fast-track new legislation promising the art would not be seized while in the country.

Russia's Federal Culture agency said it would issue licences for the paintings to travel to London's Royal Academy of Art next month but spokeswoman Natalia Uvarova told the UK's Press Association that "the law must ensure the art's immunity from seizure."

The exhibition, "From Russia: French and Russian Master Paintings 1870-1925 from Moscow and St. Petersburg," includes more than 120 works from Russia's principal collections, including the Pushkin and the State Hermitage Museum."

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This article shows that Russia is still having to deal with their past deeds and that the U.K. is willing to overlook some of these wrongdoings in order to guarantee the art show. They are also attempting to appease Russia.