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Experts positively assess President Bush's first year in office

MOSCOW. Jan 20 (Interfax) - Leading Russian political scientists have positively assessed the results of U.S. President George W. Bush's first year in office.

Chairman of the Presidium of the Council for Foreign and Defense Policy Sergei Karaganov told Interfax on Sunday that "no one could predict a year ago, that Bush could turn out to be such a successful politician."

"The U.S. president has demonstrated resolve and is acting consistently in the struggle against terrorism, which has brought him popularity. He managed to display the same rigorous consistency on the domestic scene, as well," Karaganov said.

Among Bush's main achievements in foreign affairs Karaganov named the development of the United States' relations with Western Europe. "U.S. allies in Europe have calmed down. At first they were afraid of this Texas cowboy," he said.

The United States' relations with China did not deteriorate "despite the wish of individual Republicans to view China as an enemy," he said, adding that a warming in relations with Russia is in fact a "superficial friendship," although it was also an achievement of his first year in office.

This year Bush demonstrated "unexpected flexibility," Karaganov said. He noted, however, that "the first year cannot guarantee that this will continue in the future."

Today, the Bush administration is the strongest in U.S. history. But the conditions in which Bush is forced to work are also the most difficult," Karaganov said in conclusion.

Director of the Institute of Political Studies Sergei Markov's opinion of Bush's first year in office is also positive.

He said Bush came to power "without clear legitimacy, following a humiliating vote counting derided by the whole world." "Whereas a year ago, most Americans still preferred Albert Gore, a Democratic candidate, a year later, we can see unconditional support for Bush as a strong leader," Markov said.

Unlike Karaganov, Markov described relations between Russia and the U.S. as "warm relations, raised to a radically new level."

He agreed that the terrorist attack against the U.S. on September 11 put Bush in a difficult position and practically plunged him into a state of shock. "But he has coped with the situation with honor, making and implementing appropriate decisions. The U.S. has won the first round of the war against international terrorism," Markov said.

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