Although We've Come to the End of the Road

The two presidents were on first name terms throughout their news conference. George Bush remarked that their meetings had always been agreeable, even when they disagreed.

But disagree they do, and on the most fundamental issues - Nato expansion and missile defence.

On the latter, Vladimir Putin emphasised that his country's opposition to American plans for a missile defence shield in Eastern Europe went deeper than simple objections of protocol.

"This is not about language, this is not about diplomatic phrasing or wording, this is about the substance of the issue," he said. "I'd like to be very clear on this. Our fundamental attitude to the American plans has not changed."

Click Here

Since Putin is no longer president a strain will be put on the relationship of him and US president, George W. Bush. They seem to be great friends. However their friendship does not mean much whenit comesto the US's desire to set up a missile defence system. Russia refuses to participate.

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.

Click Here

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.

Grade This Post

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.

Click Here

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.
Grade This Post.

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.""

To read the full story, click here.

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.

Grade this post.

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.

Click Here

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.

Grade This Post.

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."

Click Here


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.

Grade This Post

Russia May Stop US Interceptor Missiles

WASHINGTON: Any deal with the United States to put interceptor missiles in Poland must also make Warsaw - which faces an unhappy Russia to its east - more secure, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on Thursday.

Either the United States must help convince Russia that the proposed defensive missile shield does not pose a threat to Moscow, or find "some other way" to address the extra risk to Poland from the project, Sikorski said in a speech during a visit to Washington.

"As many of you know, Poland has come under political pressure, and has even been blackmailed by some of our neighbours, who fiercely oppose this project," Sikorski said at the American Enterprise Institute think-tank.

"Our aim is to contribute to the security of the United States, to NATO, but also to make Warsaw more secure," he said.

ClickHere

With Russia helping Iran set up their new nuclear plant, installing missile interceptors is a necessity. If Russia refuses could this be a sign that something is up? From this article we learn about some of Russia's diplomatic interactions. The interactions of countries with other countries is a key factor of comparative politics.