Vladimir Putin was greeted in Lisbon by horses. His partners in the upcoming talks did not come to meet him and later received some unflattering words from the Russian president.
Photo: Dmitry Azarov
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Putin Strikes with a Blade
// The Russian leader uses another sharp piece of imagery
President Vladimir Putin on Thursday compared his counterparts in the upcoming Russia-EU summit to a mad man who runs around Europe with a blade in his hands. Kommersant’s special correspondent Andrey Kolesnikov tried to keep a cool head in the situation.
Vladimir Putin was greeted in Portugal with a touching welcoming ceremony. The square opposite the Jeronimos Monastery was lined with a record number of horses, which are known to be Mr. Putin’s great love, as well as guardsmen who also attracted his attention though he tried to hide the interest.
The Russian leader's motorcade went from the square to the presidential palace not with a speed of horses but of pedestrians as the cars would stop now and again to let people cross the road, which was ensured by an escort of Portuguese motorcyclists.
Mr. Putin held quick talks with the Portuguese president in the presidential palace, made a joint statement for the press and answered two questions. His answer to the second question has rocked what seemed to be as a senseless course of his working visit in Portugal.
The Russian president's disarming honesty was provoked by a Portuguese journalist who asked if Mr. Putin agrees that relations between Russia and the EU are in their lowest points since the Cold War.
“I do not think relations with Europe are in a regrettable shape,” the Russian president said. “There are simply issues on which we disagree. When we discussion things with our European Commission partners, I sometimes get an impression we defend European interests stronger than they.”
So, Vladimir Putin was apparently thinking of himself in that moment of being holier than the Pope.
“Take the Kosovo issue. Don’t you have enough problems in Spain or potential problems in Romania? Or Belgium?” he said.
Portuguese reporters were exchanging uneasy looks. They probably had no idea that Spain or Belgium has any problems.
“Why keep rocking the foundations of the international law, encourage and develop separatism in Europe and the ex-Soviet space?” Vladimir Putin asked.
The Portuguese president was nodding in agreement as he was listening to his Russian counterpart. He gave a nod even after that statement with a surprising willingness. I also noticed that he was nodding when Vladimir Putin was speaking in Russia and stopped nodding when he listened to the translation.
“Or Iran,” the Russian president continued. “We are strongly against violating norms of the international law which binds to observe the non-proliferation regime. I reiterated this thought during my visit to Iran… Why worsen the situation and bring it to a dead end by threatening sanctions or military action? Not long ago it didn’t seem possible to resolve the situation with North Korea peacefully… I think running around like a mad man with a blade in one’s hand is not the best way to solve such problems.”
The answer was more than irrefragable. Wires reporters seemed to be the people who were most pleased about it. They double-checked with each other if they go the word “blade” right, and once they got the confirmation, they rushed to report these words. They were radiating calm and confidence in tomorrow as they knew that the Russia-EU summit would start that day with an issue as risky as a blade.
Andrey Kolesnikov, Lisbon
All the Article in Russian as of Oct. 26, 2007
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