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The Popular Actions
The Russians generally back up the Kremlin in conflict with Georgia. According to the last poll of Levada Center, 51 percent of respondents blame aggravation on Georgia, while 52 percent view the actions of Moscow as a well-deserved response to the provocation. Of interest is that 37 percent of the polled think the business of Georgians here is pressurized by order of President Putin.
But the Russians don’t blame the conflict on some inadequate behavior of Georgians. They rather regard it as some manifestation of Russia’s standoff with the United States. As a result, most respondents see the anti-Russian direction of Tbilisi policy in sticking to the U.S. orders (44 percent), moving towards NATO (33 percent), demanding to withdraw Russian military bases (23 percent), and no more than 19 percent mention the demand to pull peacekeepers out of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Predictably, 42 percent think the authorities should proceed to pressurize Georgia despite that the Russian officers were released from arrest.
As to the actual crackdown, 74 percent of the polled back up intense inspections and winding up firms, restaurants and casinos owned by Georgians, while only 54 percent support cutting transport links with the country.
The Russians generally hope to get some foreign policy dividend from pressurizing Georgia. Some 44 percent of the polled think the crisis will strengthen Russia’s standing in the Caucasus and 54 percent expect it to improve the worldwide authority of the country. At the same time, 43 percent say the crisis will bring Georgia closer to the West and NATO.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Oct. 23, 2006
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