Brown: Europe must reassess Russian risk

Published on Sunday 31 August 2008 22:16

GORDON Brown last night called for a "root-and-branch" review of the European Union's relations with Moscow as he prepared to meet fellow EU leaders for an emergency summit in Brussels today.

The Prime Minister's call came as Russia raised the stakes in its stand-off with the West over the Georgia crisis by moving to cement its recognition of the independence of the two breakaway regions involved.

Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's president, said he was preparing to sign deals with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, setting out Moscow's commitment to provide economic and military assistance to the Georgian territories.

Mr Brown insisted Russia had to adhere to international rules and withdraw its troops from Georgia if it wanted to remain involved with organisations such as the G8.

The Prime Minister added that Nato needed to upgrade its preparations to deal with further acts of Russian "aggression" in Georgia and other states.

However, Mr Medvedev indicated Russia had no intention of backing down in the face of criticism from the West after the four-day war in Georgia last month.

Russian forces invaded the former Soviet state in apparent response to Georgian attempts to reassert control over the two rebel regions, which align themselves with Moscow.

Yesterday, Mr Medvedev said Russia's recognition of the two regions was sufficient for them to come into existence as independent states.

He added: "We have made our decision, and it's irreversible."

And he warned Moscow would not accept US domination of global affairs: "We can't accept the world order where all decisions are made by one nation, even by such serious and authoritative nation as the United States. Such a world would be unstable and prone to conflicts."

However, he insisted Russia wanted good relations with the West, adding: "Russia doesn't want to engage in confrontation with anyone, Russia doesn't want to isolate itself."

Meanwhile, Yuri Fedotov, the Russian ambassador to the UK, warned that any sanctions imposed on Russia as punishment would be more likely to damage the EU.

Many European countries, including Britain, depend on Russia for oil and gas – prompting Mr Brown to signal his continued desire to develop UK nuclear power stations to reduce dependence on foreign energy supplies.

Mr Fedotov said Russia wanted to be an "equal partner" with the West: "The partnership should not be the kind between the horseman and the horse, but of two equal individuals."

Earlier, Mr Brown suggested the G8 group of the world's biggest economies should meet as the G7 – ie, without Russia – to strengthen transatlantic ties.

Conservative MP William Hague, the shadow foreign secretary, called on EU leaders to show "meaningful solidarity" with Georgia and "send Russia a clear, united message that her aggression will not be rewarded".

…But while West talks, action man Putin goes tiger hunting

PICTURES of his toned torso taken during a fishing trip in Siberia sent female pulses racing around the world.

So popular has Vladimir Putin become that a group of doting female fans have even written a pop song about Russia's prime minister entitled I Want a Man Like Putin.

And his latest actions can only fuel his rising cult status.

According to reports, the Russian prime minister saved the lives of several cameramen by tranquillising a tigress poised to pounce.

The events unfolded when Mr Putin was visiting a tiger sanctuary in Siberia yesterday.

He arrived by helicopter to look around the reserve and listen to a report by the Russian Academy of Sciences about a programme for studying and preserving the famous Amur tiger – one of the rarest predators on the planet.

There are only about 450 big cats in Russia.

The prime minister, who has a black belt in judo, looked at specialist equipment for tracking the animals.

He also examined a pneumatic gun used to paralyse the animals.

Mr Putin was later taken to see a trapped five-year-old tigress while a group of cameramen from the Russian TV channel Novosti waited just metres away to film his visit.

It was then that they realised the tigress has escaped from the trap.

According to reports, Mr Putin, remaining "cool and composed", grabbed the pneumatic gun, hitting the animal in her shoulder blade.

After the tigress fell asleep, the former president helped to measure the animal before transferring her back to her cage.

As a final flourish, Mr Putin reportedly kissed the tigress and said: "Goodbye!"