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Russia to Face Economic Backlash, Blair Warns
Britain’s PM Tony Blair will talk frankly to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin when meeting him after the official G8 summit in Germany. Blair may say that Russia will face "an economic backlash in Europe" unless it manifests adherence to democratic values of the West, including “tolerating dissent and preventing abuses of human rights,” The Times reported.
Blair clarified the issues to be raised before Putin when he was speaking in the Commons before leaving for the G8 summit. Amid other things, Blair will make clear to Putin that the crackdown on democracy in Russia, first of all, the political chase of the Kremlin’s opponents, alarms Britain and all Europe.
The business people of Europe may turn back on Russia and minimize their presence in the country unless there are shared values, Blair is likely to tell Russia's president.
Putin and Blair will meet late on Friday after the end of the official part of the summit that is held in German Heiligendamm.
The relations of Russia and Britain are at the lowest today. The freeze could be mostly blamed on Russia’s refusal to extradite Andrey Lugovoy, whom Britain’s prosecutors accuse of murdering former FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko on Britain’s soil. Moreover, the recent threat of Putin to aim Russia’s missiles at Europe is of particular concern for Europe’s nations now.
www.kommersant.com
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