Putin outlines foreign policies in campaign article
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E-mail Xinhua, February 27, 2012
Russia will continue an active and constructive policy towards enhancing global security, Prime Minister and presidential candidate Vladimir Putin wrote in his program article published Monday.
In the article "Russia and the Changing World" issued in the Moskovskiye Novosti newspaper, Putin outlined a broad vision of how he sees the world situation and how to fortify Russia's place in the world.
FOCUS ON GLOBAL SECURITY
"Undoubtedly, we will continue our active and constructive course to enhance global security, renounce confrontation and effectively counteract such challenges as the proliferation of nuclear weapons, regional conflicts and crises, terrorism and drug trafficking," Putin wrote in his seventh and final campaign article published one week ahead of the election.
He underlined that "Russia will strive to create a new world order system based on modern geopolitical realities smoothly and without unnecessary disturbances."
Western intervention is undermining global stability, he said, warning Russia would continue to oppose it if he returns to the Kremlin.
He took direct aim at U.S. plans to build missile defense system in Europe near Russian borders, noting that Washington has refused to take into account of Moscow's concerns on this issue.
"I would not mention this topic if these games were not taking place right on Russian borders, if they had not undermined our security, if they did not work against stability in the world," Putin said.
He also slammed the United States and its NATO allies who justify their military intervention in third-party states with arguments about the need to defend human rights there, saying these actions create a "moral and legal vacuum" in international relations.
He warned that Russia would not permit a "Libyan scenario" to happen in Syria, where Moscow expects to seek an immediate halt of violence and a national dialogue to resolve the crisis.
"I very much hope the United States and other countries ... do not try to set a military scenario in motion in Syria without sanction from the UN Security Council," he wrote.
Referring more widely to the Middle East situation, Putin said the growing threat of a military strike on Iran alarms Russia.
"If it happens, the consequences will be truly catastrophic and their real scope impossible to imagine," he wrote, adding fear of foreign intervention may push other "nuclear threshold" states to develop nuclear weapons rather than dissuading them.
Therefore, Moscow proposed to recognize Iran's right to develop a civilian nuclear program, including the right to enrich uranium, in exchange for putting its nuclear activities under "a reliable and all-round control" of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said Putin.
OPEN TO MUTUALLY-RESPECTFUL PARTNERSHIP
In the 6,000-word article, the presidential hopeful also touched upon Russia's bilateral ties with foreign countries and regional blocs.
Despite his direct criticism on U.S. behavior on the world stage, Putin said Russia is still ready to "go really far and to reach a substantial breakthrough" in relations with the United States, if the Americans conduct themselves according to principles of equal and mutually-respectful partnership.
He said some progresses in Russia-U.S. ties have been made, but some U.S. policymakers are still unable to abandon Cold War mentality over Russia.
"We are ready to work on mutually-profitable cooperation, toward open dialogues with all of our foreign partners," stressed the prime minister.
Speaking about Russia-China relations, Putin praised China's efforts and role in global economy, calling for closer cooperation ties.
"I am convinced that the growth of China's economy is not a threat at all but a challenge with great potential for business cooperation -- a chance to catch the 'Chinese wind' in our economic sails," Putin said, noting that Russia will more actively utilize China's potential in development of its Far East and Siberia regions.
"China's voice sounds more self-confident in the global affairs and we welcome it, because Beijing shares our vision of the new world order," Putin underlined.
He said cooperation with BRICS partners would remain Russia's priority and the bloc should develop a coordinated stance on global affairs.
"When the BRICS really gets going, its influence on the global economy and politics will be quite significant," Putin wrote, noting that it is the "most telling symbol of transferring from a uni-polar into a more just world order."
As for the debt-troubled European countries, Putin said Russia may render direct financial assistance to the economies if needed.
"Russia has actively joined international measures to support afflicted European economies and consistently participates in working out collective decisions along the International Monetary Fund lines. In principle we don't rule out the possibility of offering direct financial help in some cases," Putin said.
This was Putin's seventh article outlining the points of his election program. The previous articles focused on general and economic issues, ethnic problems, democratic development and social welfares.
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