The article review(文章导读):
By Lisa McAdams Moscow12 July 2006
Eight years after becoming a member of the Group of Eight industrialized nations, Russia is set to host the annual G8 Summit in St. Petersburg - President Vladimi
Text(正文):
By Lisa McAdams
Moscow
12 July 2006
Eight years after becoming a member of the Group of Eight industrialized nations, Russia is set to host the annual G8 Summit in St. Petersburg - President Vladimir Putin's hometown. It is a significant achievement for Mr. Putin, who has made restoring pride in all things Russian a hallmark of his presidency. That pride will be on evidence when he rolls out the red carpet this weekend, to visiting world leaders from the United States, Britain, China, Japan, Italy, France and Germany. But some fear the summit could produce heightened tensions between Russia and the West.
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Russian policeman guards giant decoration for upcoming G8 summit
G8 leaders earlier agreed that the Summit agenda will focus on three areas of global concern: energy security, education and the fight against infectious diseases. But for Russia, a more personal issue takes precedence - that of proving itself worthy on the world stage.
Yevgeni Volk of the Heritage Foundation's Moscow office tells VOA Russia wants to ensure, above all else, that it suffers no embarrassing political attacks during the high profile summit. Volk says, as Russians see it, it has already come under increasingly harsh criticism from the West about backtracking on human rights and democracy.
He says Russia also stands accused of using its growing energy riches as political blackmail against energy-starved neighbors such as Georgia and Ukraine. Volk says he does not think President Putin will react to criticism lightly.
"He will try to involve them into a kind of discussion to persuade them that Russia is doing okay, that everything is being done right, that they, themselves, have many things to do to change inside their countries," he said. "I believe he will mention some human rights abuses in the United States, [and] the situation in France, where Muslim protesters had demonstrations last year. So, he will not be on the defensive, but will try to conduct some kind of offensive, as well.
Vladimir Putin
Analyst Masha Lipman, of Moscow's Carnegie Institute, says the Russian president's tougher line has already been touted, in the weeks leading up to the summit.
"More or less, the statement is, 'this is how we are.' We do not think anything is wrong with it and we will not allow anyone to tell us to change and to dictate how we should go about our internal affairs," Lipman said.
Lipman says what is driving that message is, in part, the lack of a universal consensus among Group of Eight leaders on how Russia should be treated. In the absence of such a consensus, she says she is more optimistic than her colleague, analyst Volk, that President Putin will pull off a problem free summit.
"I think what is also important is that, in spite of all expectations, [President] Bush has not resorted to open criticism of Russia, lately," Lipman said. "So, I think, if we are to judge by the signs, it doesn't look like Bush is prepared to sound as critical as his top-ranking aides. I think probably [Mr.] Bush wants to preserve his good relations with [Mr.] Putin, in order to resolve the issues of major critical importance for the United States - first and foremost, Iran." |
