Global News Post: Interview

INDIA: PM’s Post-Budget Interaction with Doordarshan News

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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Q. Mr. Prime Minister, what are your first thoughts on the
budget?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PM: Given the challenges facing our economy, the Finance
Minister has done a commendable job. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> needs to create jobs for our
growing labour force to the extent of about 10 million persons every year. To
do that, we need to accelerate the tempo of our growth. We need, as the 12th
Five Year Plan has mentioned eloquently, a growth rate of about 8 percent. This
is a growth rate which is consistent with our underlying potential. We have to
get there. Although this is a difficult journey - it cannot be accomplished in
a single year - but the Finance Minister, has taken important steps to reverse
the pessimistic view with regard to investment climate, with regard to the
growth potential and possibilities of our economy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Q. What reforms are you looking at in the six months ahead?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PM: Well. The Finance Minister has laid out a roadmap. There is
plenty of food for every Ministry to chew upon. And each one of our Ministries
has to ask itself this question: If <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> needs an 8 percent growth
rate, growth which is at the same time inclusive and sustainable, what is it
that each Ministry should do? The Finance Minister has, I think, mentioned
these challenges. It is up to the collective wisdom of my Council of Ministers
to convert these challenges into opportunities to accelerate the tempo of
growth, to make it more inclusive, to make it more sustainable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Q. Will your Government get adequate support in Parliament?
There seems to be a perceptible change in the attitude of the Opposition. But
is the bureaucracy on board? Are projects being cleared?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PM: There have been problems with regard to clearances, with
regard to environmental clearances, with regard to forest clearances, land
acquisition problems, many of these areas are the responsibility of the state
government. Whatever is within the realm of possibilities of the central
government’s action points, we have committed ourselves that we will use the
mechanism of the Cabinet Committee on Investment to grapple with these tensions
which exist in our system, and to ensure that roadblocks, whether they are
environmental clearance roadblocks, or forest clearances, or other roadblocks,
they are dealt with, so that they can be cleared and removed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Q. You are confident that a positive climate is there for
projects to be cleared?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PM: Well. I think he is speaking on behalf of the Cabinet. And
I am pretty certain that the mood of the country is: this country must not lose
any time. It must get its act together to accelerate the tempo of economic
growth, sustainable growth, equitable growth, and I do believe that if the
general mood of the country is right, it will infect the bureaucracy, it will
infect the Opposition, and in this task, there are no winners or no losers. If <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> succeeds in sticking to a growth path of 8
percent or more, I think the winners will be the people of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>; winners
will be our young men and young women, who desperately need new productive job
opportunities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Q. How worried are you about structural deficiencies that have
crept into the economy?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PM: There are today, three types of barriers, which can affect
the realization of the growth potential. One is the fiscal deficit. The Finance
Minister has charted a path to bring the fiscal deficit under control, and if
we succeed in that quest, I think we would have created a better climate for
investment; we would have created a better climate also for more moderate
levels of inflation than we have had in the last two years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The second problem is that inflation has gone out of hand.
Therefore, if the fiscal deficit is brought under control, it will also enable
us to moderate the pace of inflation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The third is, the Current Account Deficit. We cannot reduce the
current account deficit in one go. As the Finance Minister mentioned, we have a
Current Account Deficit of about 75 billion dollars. In the short run, it has
to be financed. In the medium run, it must be reduced. We must reduce our
dependence on imports of oil, of coal, of gold, of petroleum products. This is
a medium term objective, and it can be achieved, partly by reducing unwanted
imports, partly by boosting the country’s export effort.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">So a multi-pronged strategy has to be in place to achieve
credible answers to all these three problems – tackling the fiscal deficit,
tackling the inflation problem, tackling the Current Account Deficit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Q. What is a safe Current Account Deficit for us?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PM: In my view – 2.5 to 3 percent of GDP is a safe level of
Current Account Deficit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Q. What do you see as the GDP growth in the coming fiscal?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PM: The Finance Minister has mentioned, and yesterday’s
Economic Survey also hints, that it is realistic to assume a growth rate of
about 6.2 to 6.7%, and that in three years time, if we work hard, if the world
economy also improves, we should get back to the 8 percent growth path – in two
to three years time.--PIB<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">(Interviewer M.K.Venu)  <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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INDIA: PM’s Post-Budget Interaction with Doordarshan News

Q. Mr. Prime Minister, what are your first thoughts on the budget? PM: Given the challenges facing our economy, the Finance Minis...

An Interview with Aung San Suu Kyi by Scott Stearns at VOA in Washington D.C.

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">VOA's Scott
Stearns interviews Burmese opposition leader <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Aung San Suu
Kyi at VOA in Washington D.C., <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Tuesday, Sept.
18, 2012. (VOA/A. Klein)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:
Thank you for being with us this afternoon. Our time is short; we'll get right
to the questions. Political and economic reforms in Burma are clearly not yet
complete. What needs to happen next?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:
We need to just go on with the process. We need to find out what we have to do
in order to keep the democratization process on track.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Economic reforms have to be taken one by one.
You see it's not just speed that's important, it's sequencing as well. You've
got to get the speed right; you have to get the sequencing right. Save to get
the sequencing right. So we have to find out what next should be done. There is
so much to be done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Keeping democratic reforms on track, what you
think is the biggest impediment there?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>I think it's knowing what kind of reforms
should come first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Do support United States lifting trade
sanctions against Burma?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:
Yes I do because I think it's time we tried to stand on our own and I've been
very grateful to the United States for what they've done to help the forces of
democracy. I think sanctions of helped us greatly. There have been many claims
that sanctions have hurt Burma economically, but I did not agree with that
point of view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>If you look at reports by
the IMF, for example, they make quite clear that the economic impact on Burma
has not been that great. But I think the political impact has been very great
and that has helped us in our struggle for democracy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Do you think that this process is gotten to
the point now where the changes are reversible?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>That I don't think we can say until the Army
is totally committed to change because under the present Constitution, the Army
can always take over all parts of government if they think this is necessary.
so until the Army comes out clearly and consistently in support of the
democratic process we cannot say that it’s irreversible. But I don't think we
need fear a reversal too much either.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>You’ve spoken of the need to change the
Constitution to remove the military's guaranteed portion of seats in
Parliament. How do you intend to go about that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:
I've never emphasized the military's guaranteed proportion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>That's what others of emphasized. That does
not worry me so much as the provision for the commander-in-chief to take over
the powers of government when he thinks necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>And of course there are other parts of the
Constitution which do not actually mesh with the working of the genuine
democracy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>But whatever we do whatever
changes we bring about with regard to the Constitution I want to bring these changes
about with the cooperation and willing cooperation with of the Army.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:
Why do you think the Army has engaged in this process of reform now?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:
The process of reform was actually started by the executive and the
legislature. It was President Thein Sein who started the reform process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>But of course you must remember that
democracy is made up not of made up only of the executive, but the legislature
and the judiciary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>The legislature has
also played its part in promoting reform. The military are part of the
legislature in that they are 25% of that, but I think they also work closely
with the executive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>What we are lacking
in Burma is an independence effective judiciary, and unless we have all three
of these democratic institutions - strong and healthy, we cannot say that our
democratic processes (is complete).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:
Is there something at present that you think made this a ripe time for these
changes in Burma?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>There are other
regimes that have entrenched themselves…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:
There were the elections in 2010 when they said they were turning the
administration over to civilian government. Actually most of the people in the
civilian government recently retired from the previous Army government, but
they did have elections and there are many who question the fairness of the
elections and even the United Nations has said these elections were flawed, but
certainly was no longer officially a military government, it was a civilian
government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>I think it is a civilian
government which is close to the military because many of them are retired
members of the military, but I think the desire for reform of President Thein
Sein is very genuine. And now that I've been in a couple months in the
legislature I can see that both the speakers of the upper and lower house also
are very committed to the democratic process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>We've had many questions on our Twitter feed
about violence against Muslims and specifically how the treatment of Rohinja
reflects some on the tenets of Buddhism. What do you think of that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Communal tensions are very, very difficult to
dissipate in a short time and there have been communal tensions in Burma for
decades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>The latest episodes of violence
erupted because of, from my point of view, from a lack of rule of law. It all
started with a criminal act, and if action had been taken quickly, if justice
had been done and seen to be done, it would not have escalated in the kind of
almost full-scale violence that it did. We believe as a National League for
democracy that human rights must be protected by the rule of law, and there can
never be occasions where human rights can be neglected or ignored or the rule
of law set aside. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:
What about efforts to trying to find a lasting solution to the Karen and Kachin
issues as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:
Lasting solutions are always difficult to come to. But they will have to
persevere. I've been repeating ad nauseam that we in Burma we are weak with
regard to the culture of negotiated compromises, that we have to develop the
ability to achieve such compromises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>If
you want to bring an end to long-standing conflict, you have to be prepared to
compromise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>If either or both sides
insist on getting everything that they want – that is to say 100 percent of
their demands to be met, then there can never be a settlement. So we have to
negotiate the kind of compromise that is acceptable to all the parties
concerned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:
A question to you from Facebook: What role do you think of the role of the the
Burmese artists and authors can play in the social changes that are undergoing?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:
Burmese authors and artists can play the role that artists everywhere play.
They help to mold the outlook of a society -- not the whole outlook and they
are not the only ones to mold the outlook of society, but they have an
important role to play there. And I think if they take up this role seriously
and link it to the kind of changes were wish to bring about in our country they
could be a tremendous help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:
Can you speak to us for a moment about the need to improve primary education in
the country as well as a means of preparing this next generation of Burmese?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>We need to improve education in the country
-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>not only primary education, but
secondary and tertiary education. Our education system is very very bad. But,
of course, if you look at primary education, we have to think in terms of early
childhood development that's going back to before the child is born - making
sure the mother is well nourished and the child is properly nurtured. Early
childhood development has proved to be very beneficial and very cost-effective
in societies where this is been tried. So let’s not confine ourselves to
primary education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Let’s think of early
childhood development and education as a whole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> 
</span>But at the moment I would like to emphasize the need for vocational
training, for non-formal education in our country to help all those young
people who have suffered from a bad education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> 
</span>They have to be trained to earn their living. They have to have enough
education vocational training to be able to set up respectable lives for
themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:
There are many foreign investors interested in coming to Burma, especially with
the lifting of trade sanctions. Do you see a role for the private sector to
play in supporting that vocational education?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:
Of course. Already I am going to start a small vocational training program in
my Township. We've bought a plot of land and were going to build vocational
training center. This I've been able to do from funds contributed by private
citizens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:
Your country has a long history with China. Do you have any concern that the
competition between China and the United States in that region could affect the
development of a young emerging economy in Burma?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>I don't think we should think of it as
competition between the United States and China. And if it is competition, I
hope there will be healthy competition and not the kind of competition that is
adversarial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>We don't want this to be
adversaries, we want them to be partners in developing that economic stability
of the region.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:
Do you think United States has pressed China enough on its human rights
situation?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>I think you would know that better than I.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:
One final question. Another question from Facebook - In your years under house
arrest, what is it that kept it going? Did you feel that it was just never
going to end?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>No I never felt it was never going to
end,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>and I didn't really feel the need
for anything to keep me going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>I felt
myself to be on the path that I had chosen and I was perfectly prepared to keep
to that path.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">STEARNS:
What would you say to people in other countries who are in similar situations,
under house arrest, who look to you for inspiration?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASSK:
First of all I would say don't give up hope. At the same time I would say there
is no hope without endeavor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>You've got
to work, you got to make an effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>It
is not enough to sit and hope. You have to work in order to realize your hopes.---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>

An Interview with Aung San Suu Kyi by Scott Stearns at VOA in Washington D.C.

VOA's Scott Stearns interviews Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi at VOA in Washington D.C., Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012. ...

India: Prime Minister’s interaction with mediapersons at the conclusion of the G20 conference.

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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, interacted with media persons after the conclusion of the G20 conference in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Cannes</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">France</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJCpbdkgPBGIvix-66h0WAlP6OT5du_furCNb0_MnxDyAnPkTBo-6X2MynqYwiQc44II4QxPNKlKkOsRHWXwqfzBYIbmiWO201CUgNXwW6W-p6HfAdZUnPSTjeFj6DJD2GwCU7ODu5as/s1600/pmincannes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJCpbdkgPBGIvix-66h0WAlP6OT5du_furCNb0_MnxDyAnPkTBo-6X2MynqYwiQc44II4QxPNKlKkOsRHWXwqfzBYIbmiWO201CUgNXwW6W-p6HfAdZUnPSTjeFj6DJD2GwCU7ODu5as/s320/pmincannes.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 8.0pt;">Dr. Manmohan Singh in Cannes, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">France</st1:place></st1:country-region>(PIB file photo).</span></i></span><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 8.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Q1. You said there maybe a spillover of the European crisis on <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>. How serious is that threat, because one-third of our business is with these countries only?</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A1. Well. We are living in an increasingly integrated, globalized world. And there are many linkages which we have with <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place>. <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place> is our largest trading partner. It is a very important source of capital flows, technology flows. Therefore if the Eurozone is in crisis, it affects us in many ways. If growth in Eurozone slows down, their import demand will slow down, and we will also be affected as part of that process. If the financial markets are in a disturbed state, there will be instability, insecurity, and therefore capital might not flow in our direction, in the manner in which we would like. In the same way, technology flow can also be affected when there is a growing uncertainty in the economic environment. Therefore, it is in our interest that the Eurozone countries should get their act together, and present a credible picture of resolving the tensions that have arisen.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Q2. The statement says that the Communique endorses our call for increased banking transparency. How effective is this going to be in bringing black money back home?<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A2. Let me say that I am no astrologer. We have to operate in a world where things are not entirely to our own liking. We are dealing with sovereign countries, and they will cooperate with us only to the extent that their laws permit them to do so. We are trying to negotiate new agreements: information exchange agreements (Tax Information Exchange Agreements), tax agreements (Double Taxation avoidance Agreements). It is a work- in- progress. The honest answer to your question is: first of all I really do not know what is the magnitude of the so-called black money lying abroad. Secondly, I really do not know that we have a fool-proof mechanism to ensure that we can bring back this money within a short period of time. We have to create an environment, in which our people would have, themselves, an incentive to bring back this money at home; that India is a land of opportunity; that, therefore, it is no longer necessary for people with surplus money in India to think of greener pastures outside. I think that is the only secure, long-term way to create an environment in which we will discourage the flow of such money to foreign countries.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Q3. On tough decisions that need to be taken in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>, in terms of fiscal deficit. Are you looking at deregulating fuel prices, cutting subsidies, raising taxes etc?<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A3. I attach great importance to the task of fiscal reconsolidation. We cannot live beyond means. And we also have to recognize that money simply does not grow on trees. So, the commitment that we have to the country to have a fiscal deficit of 4.6 percent as projected in the budget has to be taken seriously. Even though there are circumstances in which there may be slippages, but the general direction of our economy has to be to get the fiscal system in balance, get the expenditure flows in balance, consistent with the availability of resources. If in the process, we have to cut some expenditure, cut some subsidy, I think in principle that is the only way in which you can manage your fiscal system. Of course, there is also scope under favourable conditions, of disinvestment. These are three or four methods of getting the fiscal system in order. But, having said that, what we should do at any particular moment of time is the subject matter of political feasibility. Therefore, the timing of what you have talked about, or what I have talked about, is, I think, a matter which has to be carefully worked out.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Q4. Emerging economies including <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> have said they would be OK in supporting the Eurozone, via possibly, the IMF. Is there a quid pro quo, for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>?<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A4. Well, I have already mentioned, we have a stake in the orderly functioning and prosperity of the European market, because <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place> is our largest trading partner. It is a very important source of capital inflows into our country, technology flows in our country; and if the financial system of <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place> is not in good shape, capital flows can be affected. Also, if the banking system of <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place> is not in good shape, many of our entrepreneurs require trade credit, short-term credit. Now, the whole intricate system of capital flows, trade flows, in an increasingly inter-dependent world that we live in, gets disrupted. If that happens, it will be some cause for worry, for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> as well.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Q5. Food inflation is at a record high, and petrol prices too have been raised. Do you see this as fallout of what’s happening across the globe?<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A5. Many people in the meeting referred to commodity price inflation. Some attribute it to the easy money that is available as a result of qualitative easing in a number of developed countries like the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United   States</st1:place></st1:country-region>. But that, honestly, is a subject matter on which there is no unanimity. Food inflation in our country is a problem. But, you would have noticed that within food inflation, if you make a distinction between foodgrain prices, they are relatively stable. What prices are going up are prices of vegetables, prices of eggs, prices of fish – the secondary and tertiary food items. Now, that obviously is a reflection of the demand for these commodities exceeding the supply. That, in turn, to some extent, at least, is a sign of growing prosperity of our country. Our national income is increasing at the rate of 8 percent per annum, our population is exceeding at the rate of 1.6 percent per annum. So the per capita income of our country is growing at 6.5 percent to 7 percent. It is bound to lead to demand for more diversified type of food basket. I am not saying that this is a fool-proof way of describing this complex reality. But in analyzing food inflation, I think this is an aspect which must not be lost sight of.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Q6. Can the government reconsider its decision to deregulate petrol prices? Can we see government intervening in petrol prices?<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A6. Well, that (deregulation) is the general direction in which we should move. I think the move to decontrol petrol prices is a part of that process. But as I said, these are very sensitive areas. And I have no hesitation in saying that ultimately we must allow markets to find their own level, except for those commodities which are in the nature of semi-public goods. So, the direction of change is quite clear. We must move in the direction of decontrolling more and more prices.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Q7. Mr Sarkozy announced in his press conference that they had been seeking an agreement that countries should not prohibit the export of cereals or foodgrains or gas. Could you go into some of the details about that?<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A7. I can say what Mr Sarkozy was saying. Naturally, in a world in which movements of commodities can be the subject matter of ad hoc restrictions being imposed, that creates added uncertainty. That does not help create transparency in the functioning of the markets for commodities. Therefore, in an ideal world, I think, that is a goal which everyone should subscribe; that it should not be necessary for any country to arbitrarily impose a complete ban.  But as I said, we are in a world of politics. Our prime necessity is to protect our own population. Politicians, before they can become statesmen, they must remain in office long enough.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Q8. You made a reference to multilateral development banks in your speech yesterday…<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A8. I said multilateral development banks, their capital base have to be increased.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Q8(s) Is the lack of money flowing into World Bank affecting countries like <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>?<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A8(s) Well, I think, indirectly, everything affects everything else. If the world is faced with the prospect of shortage of resources and if you direct resources in a particular direction, other users will have some issues. But there is no direct relation, as IMF issues fresh SDRs and it has no adverse affect on the capital flows of the World Bank. If you recall in the old days, when the future of the SDRs was being discussed, many developing countries used to argue that the SDRs should be created and they should be made available to agencies like IDA, or should be used to increase resource flow to developing countries.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Q9. What has <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> managed in this summit?<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A9. We are a part of the G20 setup. The G20 setup – its primary concern is towards an orderly growth of the international economy; to ensure that development processes are not disrupted by sudden upsurge of uncertainty in developed countries – and it is an essay in persuasion. We are not writing new treaties. We are laying down guidelines, which will hopefully, be converted some day into new rules of the game. But as of now, we have not reached that stage, where, in a one and a half day conference, we can reach agreement on binding commitments for the future.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Q10. On MFN status being granted by Pakistan to India<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A10. I have, rightly or wrongly, always believed that the destinies of the countries of <st1:place w:st="on">South  Asia</st1:place> are very closely linked. I welcome the decision of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country-region> to grant us the MFN status. It should have been done long ago. I think it was seventeen years ago that <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> gave MFN treatment to <st1:country-region w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:country-region>, unilaterally, and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country-region> has taken so much time. Der Aaye, Durust Aaye.  I welcome that. If it is a reflection of a new attitude, that within the SAARC context, our countries can work together to realize our growth potential, of regional trade, of regional capital flows, of regional technology flows, there are so many things we can do together. If this is a reflection of new change, a new mindset, I welcome that, but we have to watch.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Q11. On uncertainty in global economy<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A11. If anyone thought that the Eurozone crisis, which has been in the offing for the last three years, will melt, as a result of a one-and a half day conference, I think it was over-exuberance in thinking. What I would describe as the outcome of the conference was that the Greek decision not to have a referendum, and the decision of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region> to have IMF monitor its programme, it does provide breathing space. But the Eurozone is faced with problems. It is a monetary union without having a fiscal union. If you want to have a fiscal union, it would require a change in the constitution of many countries belonging to the Eurozone. And that is an uncertain process. Otherwise also, Eurozone has a basic defect in the sense, that it does not have a lender of last resort. The only institution which is capable of acting as a lender of last resort for the Eurozone is the European Central Bank. The ECB, I am told, is not allowed to lend directly to governments. If somehow, a lender of the last resort function could be evolved for the ECB that would be an act inspiring great confidence in the future of the Eurozone.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Q12. The big takeaway for India from the G20<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A12. We are not here to collect any kudos, or to collect any money. This is a deliberative conference, where 20 countries responsible for 80 percent of the world’s economy, sitting together, exchanging ideas, exchanging views, about how the world is moving, what we can do to make it function in more orderly fashion, how can we work together to ensure that public policies are in line with the felt needs of people This is essentially, an essay in persuasion. And it is in that context that we should view the outcome of this conference. I think, we are a country which requires the support of the rest of the world. We are today a big trading nation. We are also a country which requires a large amount of capital: both direct capital, and institutional flows. We are a country, which requires import of technology in selected areas. And all this, presumes, that the world economy is in reasonably good shape to enable these processes to proceed in an orderly fashion. So it is in that context, as I said, that we have a vested interest, in the well-functioning of the European markets.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Q13. None of the scheduled bilateral took place?<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A13. I did have a good chat with Chancellor Merkel. She is a very good friend of mine. She again invited me to visit <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Germany</st1:place></st1:country-region>. I promised her that I may not be able to come, but she is always welcome. And she said she is always very happy to come to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>. So, those few minutes that I snatched from her time, I think, were a very valuable addition to my stock of knowledge of the functioning of the Eurozone. I mentioned to Chancellor that it has been my view for a long time, that for Eurozone to survive in a world in which, it is a monetary union without a fiscal union, requires somebody to perform the role of a lender of last resort. And I was very happy to see Chancellor herself recognizing that that is one of the weaknesses of the current system.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Q14. Concerns on money laundering, corruption, how responsive have the G20 countries been.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A14. If you go by the communiqué these are concerns which are shared by all the members of the G20. The communiqué reflects those concerns on corruption. And they welcome our ratification of the UN convention on corruption.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Q15. Has there been a commitment made by <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> on GST and DTC?<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A15. It is not a commitment, in the sense that there is no legally binding agreement. But it is our intention to get the fiscal system in order. As part of the Mutual Assessment Process, we have stated that it is our desire in the medium-term to get mastery over the fiscal problem, and that would require introduction of a Direct Taxes Code, that would require also Goods and Services Tax, and that would also require probably, some tinkering with taxes. That is part of the Mutual Assessment Process exercise.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Q16. On the handshake with the Chinese premier.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A16. I have very good relations both with President Hu Jintao, and with Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, and when I spoke yesterday, at the BRICS meeting, the President, as I walked past him, he came to me, and he congratulated me, and  he said how similar is our thinking on global problems. There is a great similarity of thinking on global problems, between what I said at the BRICS meeting, and what President Hu Jintao said.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Source-PIB</div></div>

India: Prime Minister’s interaction with mediapersons at the conclusion of the G20 conference.

The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, interacted with media persons after the conclusion of the G20 conference in Cannes , France . Dr....

Clinton Concerned Over Trend toward Military Rule in Iran

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">By David Gollust from the State Department<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">  <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">  <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps is becoming more involved in running the country and that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iran</st1:place></st1:country-region> may be heading toward military dictatorship.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">In an interview with VOA’s Persian News Network, PNN, <st1:city w:st="on">Clinton</st1:city> said the <st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region> plans an on-line embassy, and wants to circumvent what she termed <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iran</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s “electronic curtain.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Secretary Clinton has expressed concern about a military dictatorship in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iran</st1:place></st1:country-region> before. But her comments to VOA Wednesday were her most explicit on the issue thus far.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">In an interview with the popular Persian News Network program Parazit, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Clinton</st1:place></st1:city> noted news reports that the Iranian leadership might eliminate the elected post of president. She said the Revolutionary Guards, an elite wing of the military, is “becoming more and more involved” in the country’s economy.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">“The Quds force and other elements of the security establishment taking financial stakes or taking over certain economic enterprises - that’s part of what I mean about our seeing that there seems to be a moving toward a more military takeover in effect in Iran," she said.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city w:st="on"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Clinton</span></i></st1:city><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> said the <st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region> is considering more sanctions to persuade <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iran</st1:place></st1:country-region> to end suspected efforts to build nuclear weapons. “The strongest sanctions were adopted by the United Nations when it became abundantly clear that the regime is pursuing a nuclear weapons program. Everyone believes that the covert actions, the covert facilities, the misleading information, is part of an attempt by the regime to acquire nuclear weapons, which would be very de-stabilizing," she said. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">But, she said, the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> is pursuing a two-track strategy of sanctions and diplomacy.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Her interview comes two weeks after the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards was implicated in a plot to assassinate the ambassador from <st1:country-region w:st="on">Saudi Arabia</st1:country-region> in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Washington</st1:place></st1:state>.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">The Secretary of State said the <st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region> does not seek conflict with the Iranian government, but wants to support those in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iran</st1:place></st1:country-region> seeking democratic reform.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Parazit, a satirical news show, primarily reaches younger Iranians through the Internet and satellite broadcasts.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city w:st="on"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Clinton</span></i></st1:city><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> said the <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region> is trying several ways to circumvent what she called <st1:city w:st="on">Tehran</st1:city>’s “electronic curtain” including the creation of an on-line “virtual embassy” for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iran</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">“What we are going to do despite the fact that we do not have diplomatic relations is I am going to announce the opening of a virtual embassy in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tehran</st1:place></st1:city>. The Web site will be up and going at the end of the year. We’re going to continue to reach out particularly to students and encourage that you come back and study in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>. And we’re going to look for other people-to-people exchanges," she said. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city w:st="on"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Clinton</span></i></st1:city><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> said the <st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region> would like to see <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iran</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s government change and begin to support the human rights and aspirations of its people.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">She said there are “reasons for regret on both sides” in the two countries’ troubled history over the past half-century and that the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United   States</st1:place></st1:country-region> would like to “forge a new relationship.”---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></i></div></div>

Clinton Concerned Over Trend toward Military Rule in Iran

By David Gollust from the State Department Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps is becoming ...

Interview with Lt. General Brent Scowcroft

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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planet-Eastern-Europe-Country/dp/1741048540?ie=UTF8&tag=glob036-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><br />
</a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Brent-Scowcroft-Internationalism-Post-Vietnam-ebook/dp/B004MPRDK4?ie=UTF8&tag=glob036-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Brent Scowcroft: Internationalism and Post-Vietnam War American Foreign Policy (Biographies in American Foreign Policy)" height="320" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B004MPRDK4&tag=glob036-20" width="214" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><i><b><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=glob036-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004MPRDK4" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />Lt. General Brent Scowcroft (US Air Force, ret.) served as National Security Advisor under President George H. W. Bush when the coup against Mikhail Gorbachev occurred on August 19, 1991. He was in the White House team when all dramatic changes were happening in Eastern Europe and in the USSR, including the rapid growth of nationalism in the Soviet republics, the movement for independence from the USSR, and, finally, the<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=glob036-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1741048540" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> breakup of the Soviet Union after the coup. Together with President George H. W. Bush, he authored the memoirs of these tumultuous years, A World Transformed (New York, 1998).</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><i><b><br />
</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><i><b>Brent Scowcroft shares his memories of the moment the USSR ultimately ceased to exist in an interview with </b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><i><b>RIA Novosti’s Washington Bureau Chief Svetlana Babaeva. </b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: “A tremendous transformation was made without a single shot fired.”</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planet-Eastern-Europe-Country/dp/1741048540?ie=UTF8&tag=glob036-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Lonely Planet Eastern Europe (Multi Country Travel Guide)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1741048540&tag=glob036-20" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: On August 19, 1991, we [in the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> Soviet Union] were listening to Swan Lake on TV and trying to figure out what was happening. What were the first words of American politicians besides those that we cannot publish? What were the first plans after the recognition that a coup-d’état was occurring?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: Actually, the President and I were not in Washington when it happened. We were up in his residence in Maine.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: Having vacation, I presume, as it was August.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/World-Transformed-George-H-Bush/dp/0679752595?ie=UTF8&tag=glob036-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="A World Transformed" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0679752595&tag=glob036-20" /></a></div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sixth-Year-Itch-George-Presidency/dp/0321467000?ie=UTF8&tag=glob036-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=glob036-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0679752595" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=glob036-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0321467000" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />Brent Scowcroft: Exactly. It was about 11 o’clock at night. I was lying in bed, reading some papers and listening to the television, when there was something about President Gorbachev being ill, and I thought, that is strange, I haven’t heard he’s sick. Ten minutes later the television said, he was ill and resigning his office. That got my attention; I called Washington, and they didn’t know anything. Then I called the President, woke him up and said, “I do not know what’s going on, but something is. I’ll find out, but I may have to call you early in the morning.” I got a press person up there; we listened to the press all night. Next morning there was a heavy gale, coming through, and then the news was that there had been a coup. I called the press corps together in a damp room, the President talked to them and said, “We don’t know the details but it seems to be a coup.”</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: Did you immediately begin to work out certain scenarios over what to do in this case?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gorbachev-Mikhail/dp/0231115156?ie=UTF8&tag=glob036-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Gorbachev" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0231115156&tag=glob036-20" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=glob036-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0231115156" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />Brent Scowcroft: First, what I tried to do was call Gorbachev. They said he was not available to speak. Then the President said, “Let’s try Yeltsin.” We did get through to him, which surprised me, and they talked. Yeltsin was very dramatic in this discussion. We had heard already about him standing on the tank in Moscow and we learned first hand his version of the latest developments.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: The administration reiterated that President Bush was content with his partnership with Gorbachev. Did this call a day after the coup signify that you accepted the new reality and were ready to deal with Yeltsin?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: No, we were not. The President wanted to talk to somebody and find out what was going on. It wasn’t a shift in our attitudes, we couldn’t get through Gorbachev and were trying to find someone to get through who would be willing to talk to us. We tried Yeltsin and that succeeded. Then the President said, “We must get back to Washington,” and we returned as soon as the storm had gone.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: When the coup was over, did you continue to consider Gorbachev a key political figure?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: Absolutely. He was the President of the Soviet Union. Did we think nothing had changed? Of course not. When the coup was over, Gorbachev came back and had with Yeltsin the joint meeting where Yeltsin, if it’s not too strong to say, humiliated Gorbachev. It was apparent there were dramatic changes on the way.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: What do you think was the no-turning point for the Soviet Union? August 1991 or something before that?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: I don’t think it was before that. It’s hard to say, but I think it is possible that Gorbachev’s notion of a changed Union would have worked had it not been for Yeltsin. By that time, Gorbachev and Yeltsin were bitter enemies. How could Yeltsin get rid of Gorbachev? Dissolve the Soviet Union. I am not sure that Gorbachev’s notion of more confederative, semi-independent states would not have succeeded. At least for a time.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: When did the American leaders begin to think that the Soviet Union might be doomed?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: I am not sure if I can tell you exactly when it happened. That gradually came into our consciousness as a possibility as the situation developed. After all, the Soviet Union had been around for a long time. It was a permanent fixture, a great power. It was not what one immediately thinks is about to collapse.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Before the coup, we knew that Gorbachev was trying to change the nature of the Union and make it more confederative, than the tight Union was. We were not at all sure how successful that attempt would be.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">The President did not want to put Gorbachev under any pressure; he was worried, from 1989 on, about the possibility that the more reactionary people around Gorbachev would promote a coup against him. It didn’t happen until August 1991, but the President was very concerned and didn’t want to do anything that would jeopardize Gorbachev.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">We were encouraged, especially by what was going on in Eastern Europe, but we did not want it to proceed at a rate which would cause the Soviet Union to react as it had in 1953, in 1956, in 1968. Why were we so concerned about Eastern Europe? Because for us the fundamentals of the Cold War were Eastern Europe.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: On August 1, President Bush gave his famous speech, later called the Chicken Kiev speech, in which he said, “Yet freedom is not the same as independence. Americans will not support those who seek independence in order to replace a far-off tyranny with a local despotism. They will not aid those who promote a suicidal nationalism based upon ethnic hatred.” The grim irony was that these words came less than three weeks before the coup-d’état and less than five months before the USSR had become history…</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: That speech has been dramatically misinterpreted.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: Nonetheless, analysts blame you for not accepting what was already obvious. What were those Kiev appeals – a realistic approach with a clear foresight of what might happen to the region in case of the Soviet collapse or, vice versa, a lack of real understanding of what the mood was in the Soviet state?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: I believe that choice of words obviously was not the best. But there were two primary motivations for the speech. First, what was going on in Yugoslavia, and second, what was going on in Ukraine between the Eastern and Western parts. The core idea of the speech was, “Be careful, do not let this nationalism destroy what you have, and think about of what you are going to do.”</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: Was that a real fear of civil war?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: It was a fear of the irrationality, if you want, that led the Yugoslavs to take a small state and break it into six. It was ignoring the benefits of larger political entities. Ukraine historically had been a very troubled region; those were the kinds of things the President was warning about; namely, don’t let narrow nationalism blind you as you’re developing your own political entity.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Soon after Ukraine did vote for independence. Probably, Gorbachev was underestimating the strength of local nationalism.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: Were Americans also underestimating the nationalism of the surrounding Soviet republics?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: We always thought it was there. But yes, we likely underestimated its depth too.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: And President Bush, just three months after the Kiev speech, expressed his full support for the independence of Ukraine. What was the reason for such a quick shift?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: It was not a quick shift. There was a lot of domestic pressure in the US by emigrants from Ukraine, and the Baltic states for the President to be more assertive. Nonetheless, we tried to be very neutral about the outcome. It was really up to the Ukrainians to decide what they wanted to do. If Ukraine had voted instead for Gorbachev’s notion of the new Soviet Union, we would have supported them.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: But you surely had to have your own scenarios of how to deal with this huge dissipating area full of nuclear warheads.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: Clearly, we thought about the possibility of a number of independent states as opposed to the Soviet Union. We considered what would happen to nuclear weapons and central control over them. Would they be in the hands of people who didn’t understand the consequences? Of course, we worried about all these things.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: How far from reality was this scenario?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: In reality, it worked out very well. There was no conflict in the breakup of the Soviet Union, nor were there lapses of control over nuclear weapons. The weapons in Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan were returned to Russia.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Generally, I think that the best thing that happened for all of us was a tremendous transformation in world affairs was made without a single shot fired. That’s amazing.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: George H.W. Bush in 1992 famously declared, "By the grace of God, America won the Cold War." And then he elaborated on the sole and preeminent power of the U.S…</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: Again, that was an isolated statement. The President constantly, from the fall of the Berlin wall, was saying that we are both winning the Cold War. Nobody lost. The end of the Cold War was a win for both sides.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: It is one thing is what he said, and another how he was interpreted by the world. Since then, many politicians claim that was a key misstep of the US. The feeling of triumph was too long and too strong. The subsequent changes in Russian foreign policy under Putin’s Presidency may be seen as a kind of backlash in order to restore the sense of equality, dignity, and importance in world affairs.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: I think Putin was in many respects a result of Yeltsin’s era than Gorbachev’s. History moves in mysterious ways, and it never reveals its alternatives...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: The sentiment in the Kiev speech seems very much to the point - “When Americans talk of freedom, we refer to people's abilities to live without fear of government intrusion, without fear of harassment by their fellow citizens, without restricting others’ freedoms.” What is the key reason that almost no former Soviet republics have been able to build up a standard Western-style democracy and enjoy the freedom as it was so described?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: Let me answer in a different way. We like to think of ourselves as the world’s first or best democracy. Look what we just went through! Democracy operates only as well as the people try to make it operate. And everyone’s democracy is a little bit different. What we fundamentally believe is that the best way for a system to run is through the will of the people. But the will of the people expresses itself in many different ways, and democracy is a very difficult system to have work...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: The American democracy, which may be deemed one of the most-balanced, recently showed forth an evident lack of responsibility. Presenting themselves as genuine Democrats or genuine Conservatives, lawmakers acted without awareness of all the consequences for the US and world. Don’t you think that the sense of long-term responsibility has slightly eroded in the US?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: It’s a very complicated question. In the United States democracy developed partly because it was a very unusual country. It wasn’t surrounded by neighbors and enemies. It wasn’t based on a particular ethnic group that wanted to dominate others. Anybody can be an American; you just sign a piece of paper. The United States is clearly an unusual phenomenon in terms of democracy. The extremes never were able to make it. There was a communist party in the 1930s, but it didn’t get anywhere. There was a fascist party, it didn’t either. That’s perhaps because people did not feel so excluded from the process that they felt the need to resort to extremes.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: That’s why what’s happening now seems new and unusual for the U.S.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: It seems new to me too. The American system works well because of compromise and because the Constitution was not written to have efficient government, but to protect the people from government trying to take away their power. It makes it easy to keep something from happening in our system. The way to make things happen is for different groups to cooperate. When they do not, like recently, the system doesn’t work.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">This may have severe consequences for the notion of people’s ability to govern themselves rather than to have some single person with a big army telling them what to do. I think what’s been going on around the world recently, like in the Middle East for example, is not democracy itself. But it’s a cry for dignity. People want to be treated with respect. They want to have certain fundamental rights and not to be just pawns for somebody to manipulate for the benefit of himself and a few other people around him.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">RIA Novosti: Americans know very well what it means to be respected.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Brent Scowcroft: But now we are in danger of collapsing through paralysis. In this budget deal there was something put together in the last moment. Not a very good arrangement but if it had not happened, the United States would have been technically bankrupt, which is not good for the world either. Those kinds of pressures and forces are always a problem for democratic systems. We are all struggling for a form of government which combines both efficiency and freedom from arbitrariness against its people.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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Interview with Lt. General Brent Scowcroft

Lt. General Brent Scowcroft (US Air Force, ret.) served as National Security Advisor under President George H. W. Bush when the coup agai...

Dalai Lama's recent interview with VOA

<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Courier New';">The Dalai Lama is in Washington for the 11-day Kalachakra ritual, the first time the ritual has been held in the U.S. capital.  The days of meditation and teachings aim to inspire inner peace as a means of reducing conflict around the world.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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This is the Dalai Lama's first trip to the United States since he stepped down as the political leader of the Tibetan government-in-exile.</span></b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Courier New';">He said his main reason for being in the United States is to give Buddhist teachings. </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 9pt;">VOA News</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Courier New';"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 115%;"><b>Watch the Dalai Lama's recent interview with VOA</b></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #00b050; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
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Dalai Lama's recent interview with VOA

The Dalai Lama is in Washington for the 11-day Kalachakra ritual, the first time the ritual has been held in the U.S. capital. The days of ...