Rice Avoids Criticizing Putin as U.S. Seeks Russia's Cooperation

Michael Abramowitz and Peter Finn
Washington Post
Sunday October 14, 2007

With the Kremlin backsliding on democracy, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has responded with expressions of dismay over a crackdown on independent institutions, while steering clear of any direct criticism of President Vladimir Putin's possible plan to extend his hold on power by becoming prime minister next year.

On the second day of her trip here, Rice assured human rights activists and other members of Russian civil society that she supports their efforts to protect "universal values" such as freedom of expression, worship and assembly.

A few hours later, however, Rice told reporters that she had not raised the issue of Putin's political future when she met with him Friday, saying the topic was not appropriate for a meeting devoted to security issues.

"There's a lot of speculation about who's going to be president, whether President Putin is going to take any number of jobs or no job at all," Rice said in an interview with reporters traveling with her. "I just think speculating on that is not going to help the situation." But she added, "I think there is too much concentration of power in the Kremlin."

Administration officials once thought that Putin's decision on his future would be a defining moment for Russia, when it would become clear whether the rule of law or the rule of one man would win out. Their careful language following Putin's recent announcement that he might become prime minister shows how cautiously Rice and other officials are now balancing concern about the Kremlin's autocratic moves with the need to enlist its cooperation on confronting Iran, missile defense and other volatile issues. It may also reflect a recognition that the United States has limited influence on Russia's decisions.

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