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| Putin: U.S. should improve ties with Russia |
| 2008-09-14 |
| (Xinhua) -- The United States should take the initiative to improve ties with Russia strained by the recent Russian-Georgian conflict over South Ossetia, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said. "In conditions of global crises mutual interests prevail over some contradictions," Putin said in an interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro. "I wait for the relations to improve. They (the United States) marred them, and they should improve them," he said in the interview published Saturday. Russia and the United States "always would turn out to be together" when global crises emerged, Putin said, noting that the two countries were allies in both WWI and WWII. "Here in Russia, we never forget it. We would also like our U.S. partners to remember that too," he said. Meanwhile, the Russian premier said the country's gross domestic product (GDP) will be doubled compared to 2003 by the year of 2010. The aim will be achieved in late 2009, or according to other calculations, in the first quarter of 2010, Putin said. "Russia is developing at a rapid pace. In 2003, I said that we set a mid-term goal to double the gross domestic product. And we really are achieving the aim," he said. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #9 Personally I think the Russians should stop obsessing over the US like some jilted lover. Europe has culture and needs balls. Russia has balls and desperately needs culture. They should become fast friends with European cash putting Russian peacekeepers wherever the UN needs so Europe can feel they are doing something (without any pesky casualties) and Russia can be a big player again (without those pesky costs. Also Russia should be cozying up with Japan. Russia has some worthless islands the Japanese really, really want. Russia has unpopulated wasteland connected by a rickity old trans-siberian railway. Japan has cash and the engineering to build a bullet-train that could connect Moscow with the Pacific and make Russia a proper two-coast nation. Lastly Russia should be cozying up with India and Latin America. Anyone that wants to immigrate to Siberia but doesn't have a territorial claim on the area (that means no Chinese) or tend to be problems (that means Islam) should be invited to come in and become Russian citizens to help reverse some of the downward economic trends and populate the Pacific Coast of Russia. Instead Putin pisses off the world and now has to semi-grovel hoping to restore relations. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2008-09-14 18:28 |
| #8 I love the whole "yeah, we invaded but it's your fault!" theme he's got going on, not to mention his new and improved "seven year plan" that will be achieved ahead of schedule. I hate to admit it, but both me and the Tsar am impressed by the style of Volodya's bullshit. |
| Posted by: Swamp Blondie in the Cornfields 2008-09-14 11:23 |
| #7 He's KGB and owns a warehouse full of masks Az. |
| Posted by: .5MT 2008-09-14 07:24 |
| #6 Actually for Vlad that was rather civilized, I'm modestly impressed that he could bring himself to be that positive. |
| Posted by: AzCat 2008-09-14 05:19 |
| #5 fixed it |
| Posted by: 3dc 2008-09-14 02:12 |
| #4 Soviet = Soviet Union |
| Posted by: ed 2008-09-14 01:09 |
| #3 I remember reading in the 1980's that from birth rate data and actuarial tables starting in the early 1900's the Soviet should have had 100 million more people than it did. That the Communist wars and purges wiped out, or never caused to be born because of the early deaths of their parents, 100 million souls is something that is almost incomprehensible. No thanks, Vlad. The Russian soul is much too dark and requires too much human sacrifice. I'd rather keep you as far away as possible. |
| Posted by: ed 2008-09-14 01:08 |
| #2 The rapidly falling energy prices are going to put a slight delay in your GDP predictions. |
| Posted by: Mike N. 2008-09-14 00:52 |
| #1 OK Vlad - you're short of cash, how much for Siberia? |
| Posted by: anonymous2u 2008-09-14 00:36 |