Russian Aide Asks 'Who Determines US Policy' After VP Biden's Interview
Interfax
July 25, 2009
Moscow Interfax in Russian at 1158 GMT on 25 July carried a report in which Russian presidential aide Sergey Prikhodko criticized US Vice-President Joe Biden for linking work to reduce nuclear arsenals to Russia's economic problems. He said criticism of Russia made by Biden in an interview with the Wall Street Journal also makes one wonder "who determines the USA's foreign policy."
"The assessments (by the US vice-president) relating to further reductions of nuclear weapons provoke bewilderment," Prikhodko said, as quoted by Interfax.
"We remember (US) President (Barack) Obama's numerous statements that were concordant with our approaches, his conception of 'nuclear zero.' The linkages made by the US vice-president between the serious work (to reduce nuclear capabilities) and supposedly economic reasons, rather than the responsibility that Russia and the United States bear before the international community, are completely incomprehensible," Prikhodko said.
Economic problems both in Russia and other countries are "linked to the consequences of unwise actions, sometimes bordering on adventurism, of economic institutions of the United States itself during the presidency of George Bush Jr," he added.
Russia and the United States have "worked solidly until now within the G8 and G20 frameworks to develop joint responses to the challenges which the international community has come up against as a result of the financial-economic crisis," Prikhodko told Interfax.
"Therefore, it is simply not nice to pass the buck, as they say in Russia," he added.
"As for our international disarmament responsibilities, we have been fulfilling them, we are fulfilling them, and we are going to fulfil them," Prikhodko was quoted as saying.
Biden's criticisms of Russia made in the Wall Street Journal make one wonder who controls US foreign policy, Prikhodko said, as quoted in a later Interfax report on the same day.
"The question arises: who determines US foreign policy - the president, or members of his team, albeit respected ones?" Prikhodko said.
Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev and Obama held "as we see it, a positive, serious conversation; a good atmosphere was created in relations as a result, and the two countries' leaders ensure such an atmosphere," he added.
"If some members of the team and members of Obama's government do not like this atmosphere, let them say so. If they disagree with the line taken by their own president, we simply should know about this," Prikhodko was quoted as saying.
