Word: putin
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...close our eyes to the danger.' ANGELA MERKEL, German Chancellor, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Oct. 15 to discuss the potential threat posed by Iran
ANGELA MERKEL, German Chancellor, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Oct. 15 to discuss the potential threat posed by Iran...
...answers got a lot mushier on several of the thornier problems he faces in his remaining 15 months in office. When Bush was asked about Russian President Vladimir Putin's authoritarian tendencies, he said in dealing with foreign leaders he tries "to be in a position where I actually can influence people, and one way to do that is to have personal relationships that, that enable me to sit down and tell people what's on my mind without fear of rupturing relations." In other words, like any subtle diplomat, Bush underplays disagreement and emphasizes consensus when dealing with autocrats...
...same time, Putin insisted after talks last week with French President Nicolas Sarkozy - the most energetic European supporter of the U.S. position - that there is no evidence to suggest Iran is trying to build a nuclear weapon. That assessment may put him at odds with Washington, but it is, in fact, consistent with the findings of the IAEA. The difference hinges over what defines a nuclear weapons program. Last week, French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner wrote to his European colleagues urging support for tougher sanctions. "Time is against us," Kouchner warned, "because each day Iran gets closer to mastering enrichment...
...Russia may hold the key to the Iranian standoff, but it is unlikely to be moved by entreaties by Western leaders for President Putin to "act responsibly" on Iran. Gone are the days when gaining Western approval and gratitude would have been a Kremlin objective. Now, Russia's response will be driven by its own agenda. And in Putin's mind, it's unlikely to be separated from his broader strategic agenda, which most certainly includes a greater leveling of the global balance of power...