Britain is told to be tough with Russia
Правительство Великобритании должно прекратить поиск общих ценностей и занять жесткую позицию в отношении России. Об этом заявил комитет по обороне в британском Парламенте.
LONDON - The British government should stop looking for shared values and adopt a hard-headed approach toward Russia, British lawmakers said.
Russia has attempted to create a sphere of influence over other former Soviet states through the threat and use not just of military action, but increasingly through tools such as energy, Parliament’s Defense Committee said in a report Friday.
“Russia has valid interests in those countries that surround it, but to allow undue Russian influence in these countries would risk increasing Russian assertiveness and possibly compromise the sovereignty of these states,” it said.
It urged the British government to adopt a “hard-headed approach to engagement with Russia, based on the reality of Russia’s foreign policy rather than abstract and misleading notions of shared values.”
The report also said NATO should reassure its eastern European members fearful of a possible attack from Russia by drawing up contingency plans to defend Baltic states and staging military exercises there. NATO should reassure its east European members through “robust contingency plans that cover the eventuality of attack on Baltic member states and that set out NATO’s planned military response,” the report said. “In addition, NATO should maintain a visible military presence in the Baltic states, including maintaining its air policing and conducting exercises in the region.”
Reuters, 13 July 2009
http://www.moscowtimes.ru/article/1010/42/379459.htm
I support this position. As far as I know, Russian liberal opposition also shares this approach.
LONDON - The British government should stop looking for shared values and adopt a hard-headed approach toward Russia, British lawmakers said.
Russia has attempted to create a sphere of influence over other former Soviet states through the threat and use not just of military action, but increasingly through tools such as energy, Parliament’s Defense Committee said in a report Friday.
“Russia has valid interests in those countries that surround it, but to allow undue Russian influence in these countries would risk increasing Russian assertiveness and possibly compromise the sovereignty of these states,” it said.
It urged the British government to adopt a “hard-headed approach to engagement with Russia, based on the reality of Russia’s foreign policy rather than abstract and misleading notions of shared values.”
The report also said NATO should reassure its eastern European members fearful of a possible attack from Russia by drawing up contingency plans to defend Baltic states and staging military exercises there. NATO should reassure its east European members through “robust contingency plans that cover the eventuality of attack on Baltic member states and that set out NATO’s planned military response,” the report said. “In addition, NATO should maintain a visible military presence in the Baltic states, including maintaining its air policing and conducting exercises in the region.”
Reuters, 13 July 2009
http://www.moscowtimes.ru/article/1010/42/379459.htm
I support this position. As far as I know, Russian liberal opposition also shares this approach.