RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 5, No. 14, Part I, 22 January 2001
RUSSIAN ANALYSTS OFFER MIXED ASSESSMENTS OF BUSH... Long-time Moscow U.S. watcher and former head of the USA and Canada Institute there Georgii Arbatov said that he does not expect any surprises from the Bush administration, RIA-Novosti reported on 19 January. He added, however, that President George W. Bush's lack of experience in international affairs means that no one can rule out what Arbatov called "cowboy-like" actions. Another Moscow Americanist, Genrikh Trofimenko, said in an interview published in "Krasnaya zvezda" on 19 January that the inauguration of George W. Bush means that the U.S. will focus on domestic affairs, that it will drop "excessive ideological considerations" in its dealings with Moscow, and that Washington will seek to build up its military forces to defend its national interests. Meanwhile, "Izvestiya" on 20 January said that "so far George Bush looks unimpressive in comparison with Bill Clinton." And "Segodnya" noted the same time that "many American observers are perplexed by the unexpected optimism of some Russian politicians, who say that it will be easier for Russia to work with the Republican cabinet than with Democrats. In fact," the paper concluded, "serious trials are awaiting politicians."
PG
Copyright (c) 2001. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.http://www.rferl.org
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