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Missile Defense

Russian military leaders have expressed concern about US plans for a national missile defense system. Will defense technology be limited by possibilities for a strategic imbalance? Is this just SDI all over again?

lunarchick - 08:33am Apr 15, 2001 EST (#2256 of 2262)
lunarchick@www.com

Fourth party seeks to form pro-Kremlin bloc By Andrew Jack in Moscow Published: April 13 2001 19:01GMT | Last Updated: April 13 2001 19:03GMT

A fourth Russian political party on Friday expressed interest in merging with the powerful centrist Fatherland and Unity movements, in a move that could create a pro-Kremlin bloc with an absolute parliamentary majority.

Oleg Morozov, head of the Russia's Regions party, said the group would consider a coalition, after the Peoples' Deputies party also said it wanted to combine forces with Fatherland and Unity.

Yuri Luzhkov, the mayor of Moscow who founded Fatherland, and Sergei Shoigu, the minister for emergency situations and founder of Unity, announced plans on Thursday to create a single movement by November.

The plans suggest that Mr Luzhkov may have resolved his differences with the Kremlin after months of tension.

Mr Luzhkov played a leading role in creating Fatherland, the party that offered the most serious challenge both to Unity in the parliamentary elections in December 1999, and to president Vladimir Putin in the presidential elections last year.

Yevgenny Primakov, the former prime minister and Fatherland's choice as presidential candidate, had already apparently made peace with Mr Putin, acting as an informal adviser on foreign affairs.

Even before the Russia's Regions and People's Deputies' support, the combined movement would outvote the leftwing Communist and Agrarian factions in parliament. All four together would command more than the 226 votes necessary for a simple majority.

While Mr Putin's administration has managed successfully to steer most of its legislation through parliament, some officials say this has only been possible as a result of considerable effort and compromise.

Vyacheslav Nikonov, a political scientist close to Fatherland, said: "This is the end of both Unity and Fatherland. It is a pragmatic coalition between Unity, which has no people, and Fatherland, which has no power."

• An official in Chechnya's pro-Moscow administration, Adam Deniyev, has been killed by a bomb blast at a private television station near the capital, Grozny, AP reports from Moscow. An official said Mr Deniyev suffered serious head injuries after the explosion, and had died on the way to hospital. A cameraman was also injured in the blast. (www.ft.com /Putin)

lunarchick - 08:36am Apr 15, 2001 EST (#2257 of 2262)
lunarchick@www.com

If russian parliament has a pro-Putin majority, then, were there to be a sound 'plan of reforms' .. these could be driven through parliament to give a legislative framework for development.

lunarchick - 08:39am Apr 15, 2001 EST (#2258 of 2262)
lunarchick@www.com

US snubs space conference By Andrew Jack in Moscow Published: April 11 2001 23:16GMT | Last Updated: April 11 2001 23:24GMT

The US government spurned an international conference on preventing the militarisation of space that opened in Moscow on Wednesday, following concerns that the conference's objective was to criticise the planned US National Missile Defence (NMD) system.

Invitations to attend the conference, at which more than 100 countries were represented, were turned down by the US after officials said they had gained the impression that it was increasingly turning into a showpiece against their proposed NMD, which would involve weapons located in space.

The boycott is the latest sign in a growing series of actions marking frostier relations between the US and Russia, notably since the inauguration of US President George W. Bush.

President Vladimir Putin proposed the conference in New York last September during a speech at the Millennium Summit in the United Nations, with the double purpose of preventing space militarisation and developing peaceful uses of space.

Russian foreign ministry officials expressed their surprise at the US decision on Wednesday, arguing that the conference was largely scientific and that many delegates from more than 100 countries, including US scientists and business representatives, were attending.

However, the conference is called "Space without weapons".

Separately on Wednesday, the Russians confirmed that the US citizen Dennis Tito would be allowed to fly to the International Space Station at the end of this month as part of a three-man team, in spite of US objections. (www.ft.com)

lunarchick - 09:00am Apr 15, 2001 EST (#2259 of 2262)
lunarchick@www.com

BushTVlaugh

lunarchick - 09:12am Apr 15, 2001 EST (#2260 of 2262)
lunarchick@www.com

For a national public to feel 'happy' there is a necessity to have 'separation of powers' within government. If a person has a problem they can they approach: Minister re Law; Minister re Police; and The executive.

The reason, it was determined as to why England had few problems when others were having revolutions .. was because they had enshrined 'the separation of powers' within the unwritten constitution.

People have to believe that their complaints to government via no-settlement of disputes "will be heard, will be thought upon, will have resolution".

Here there was failure to adhere to 'separation of powers' by some States over past years ... the public now understand the need for it, and it is no longer tolerated that a Minister or Premiere holds joint offices for say police and law.

Corruption within government is lessend when 'separation of powers' is instigated -- in that people are more answerable for their actions.

lunarchick - 09:14am Apr 15, 2001 EST (#2261 of 2262)
lunarchick@www.com

Killed-liveTV

lunarchick - 09:19am Apr 15, 2001 EST (#2262 of 2262)
lunarchick@www.com

"Mr Maskhadov has only loose control over his field commanders"

The problem with prolonged 'fights' is that a new generation of children are reared into hatred. They can be easily manipulated to carry out acts of war. They don't have the developed 'logic' to interpret what they are involved in, or doing, and may (as in the case of Northern Ireland) continue to fight when the need to fight is over.

With Chetnya there may be a need to give the young people a clear future, so that they can see the development of their economy start to happen.

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