August 27, 2008 (LPAC)--President Dmitri Medvedev yesterday sent a letter to various Western heads of state, and gave a number of media interviews, in which he restated the reasons for his recognition of the full independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, stressed concern over NATO efforts to enircle Russia, and called for a peaceful resolution to the crisis based on dialogue.
In an interview with Al Jazeera TV, Medvedev said that Russia will have to respond militarily to the deployment of elements of a U.S. missile shield in Central Europe. "These missiles are close to our borders and constitute a threat to us... this will create additional tension and we will have to respond to it in some way, naturally using military means."
In an interview with CNN, Medvedev stressed his interest in rebuilding good relations with the U.S.: "We will be ready to work with any American administration that the American people choose. We believe that the most important thing is that the new leaders of the U.S. be guided by the real interests of the American people rather some far-fetched ideological scheme. And if this does indeed happen, then I am sure that we will be in a position to reach an agreement on the very widest range of issues. We want to avoid any controversies and we would like to avoid a new edition of the Cold War. We would like to have full-value constructive relationships with our western partners including with the U.S. But to do so we need a dose of pragmatism and mutual respect."
In an interview with BBC, Medvedev added: "We do not want a Cold War. No one has ever gained from it. No matter what some politicians might say, there are no victors in a Cold War. We do not seek confrontation and tension. What we want are normal productive and most importantly respectful relations with our Western partners." He also criticized the effort to draw Ukraine into NATO, saying "There has not even been a referendum there... Moreover, public opinion surveys there suggest that 60-70% of Ukrainians do not want their country to join NATO. The Ukrainian leadership first needs to reach a consensus with its own people."
In a letter sent to Bush, Sarkozy, Merkel, Berlusconi, and others, Medvedev stressed that, "as concerns the adoption of measures against re-opening of military activities... we will do all necessary, including coordinated actions with OSCE observers. We are ready to agree upon an effective regime for the security zone around South Ossetia, so that a barrier is built against military provocations and buildups. We will be in favor of a role played by the European Union in such efforts, under the umbrella of the OSCE."
BACKGROUND:
Bretton Woods: Russia's Role in a Recovery
Jeff Steinberg and John Hoefle's weekly political overview
Soros's Human Rights Watch Has To Admit: Soros's Georgia Used Cluster Bombs Against South Osseti
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Jeff Steinberg's Weekly Political Overview
Gen. Ivashov Warns of New 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis
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LaRouche Responds to Latest Analysis by Russian General Ivashov
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