Sources: Russia Ponders Change of Policy in CIS
All major Russian news agencies have reported the statement of an “unnamed high-ranking source in the Kremlin” as saying that Russia plans to change its policy towards the CIS countries “but more so with the US and the EU.”
Pre-arranged leaks of such nature frequently appear in the news agencies close to the Kremlin, probing the ground on the eve of major international events, in this case G8 and CIS summits.
The source said some of the aspects of this new policy would be discussed with the leaders of CIS countries in Kazan (Russia) on August 26, namely “Russia is not satisfied with the situation where it practically subsidizes the economies of many countries, taking losses while selling them energy at lower costs, while the population of these countries still goes hungry. These kinds of situations create the foundations for the “orange revolutions” after which little if anything changes for the people, but the new rulers, at least some of them, receive salaries from the US, directly or indirectly.”
It seems that this message would be addressed Russia’s staunch allies in the CIS, especially in Central Asia, where the current leaders fear repeats of the “rose and orange revolution” scenarios that toppled the incumbent leaders in Georgia and the Ukraine.
In relations with the EU and the US, the source said Russia will seek to “establish civilized rules of competition” on post-Soviet space, hinting that Russia would like to become the leader in providing international assistance to the countries of the region in the G8 format.
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