It’s important for Russia to recognize that its neighboring states are to be treated as equals by both Moscow and Washington and ?not as client states of Russia,? Condoleezza Rice, the U.S. Secretary of State, said on April 2.
Speaking at the national conference of editorial writers in Washington, Rice noted that tensions do arise with Russia when dealing with the issues that are ?either a holdover from the Cold War or a holdover from the end of the Soviet Union.?
?So the fact that we have actively pursued and intend to continue to actively pursue very good relations with Russia’s neighbors, which used to be part of the Soviet Union, we would like to see Russia see as the normal course of development between new democracies like Georgia and the United States. It’s not easy and we say to the Russians, the rise of democracies on their borders should be an opportunity for them, not a danger to them, but it’s not easy,? Rice said.
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