ISU Bengal

Issue date: 3/2/05 Section: News

Media Credit: Nato via Abaca Press (February 21) BRUSSELS, BELGIUM-- NATO Secretary General Mr. Jaap de Hoop Scheffers meets with U.S. President George W. Bush at the USEU Mission in Brussels, Belgium, on February 21, 2005.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Three days before he's to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Bush called Monday for a joint U.S.-European commitment to press Russia to move forward with democratic reforms.

Bush, on a five-day trip to repair strained relations with European allies, touched on many global issues in his first address on foreign soil since beginning his second term, but his emphasis on pushing Russia to honor principles of democracy was most striking, for it put Putin on notice that Bush intends to confront him over his recent efforts to consolidate power.

Bush said he believes Russia's future lies with the West, but added pointedly: "Yet, for Russia to make progress as a European nation, the Russian government must renew a commitment to democracy and the rule of law. We recognize that reform will not happen overnight. We must always remind Russia, however, that our alliance stands for a free press, a vital opposition, the sharing of power and the rule of law--and the United States and all European countries should place democratic reform at the heart of their dialogue with Russia."

Bush meets Putin Thursday in Bratislava, the Slovak Republic. Their meeting is widely seen as the first test of Bush's bold second-inaugural vow to end tyranny and confront "every ruler and every nation" on their commitment to democracy and human rights.

Bush has been under pressure from key members of Congress-including Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Joseph Biden, D-Del.-as well as human-rights groups to get tough with Putin over Moscow's meddling in Ukraine's elections, the cancellation of the election of Russian governors, the intimidation of the news media and the imprisonment or exile of pro-Western opponents.

Later, before dining privately with French President Jacques Chirac at the U.S. ambassador's residence here, Bush told reporters: "I look forward to seeing Vladimir Putin." He said they have "a good relationship. ... I intend to keep it that way. But, as well, I intend to remind him that if his interests lie West, that we share values ... and those values are important."

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