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Putin criticizes US democracy { May 6 2005 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/05/06/60minutes/main693422.shtmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/05/06/60minutes/main693422.shtml
Putin Defends His 'Democracy'
May 6, 2005
On the eve of a meeting with President Bush in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin responds to criticism of democracy in Russia, raising questions about the U.S. 2000 election and President Bush’s decision to go to war in Iraq.
In an exclusive interview to be broadcast on 60 Minutes Sunday, Correspondent Mike Wallace repeats criticism from the Bush White House about recent changes Putin has instituted in Russia. Putin tells Wallace he should question his own country's democratic ways before looking for problems with Russia's.
The Russian president also says the United States shouldn't try to export its democracy, as it is trying to do in Iraq.
Mr. Bush has called on Moscow to renounce its forced annexation of Latvia and the other Baltic regions and has noted that defeating the Nazis did not lead to freedom for the Baltics. The president says he'll bring it up with Putin when they meet, which is sure to irritate the Russian leader. Earlier this week, Putin protested Mr. Bush’s decision to visit Latvia on his way to Moscow.
Mr. Bush and Putin are scheduled to meet over dinner before Monday's ceremonies in Moscow marking the 60th anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany.
Administration aides have been downplaying expectations for this session, saying the two leaders are meeting for just an hour Sunday night at Putin's dacha, followed by a social dinner with their wives.
Wallace gets quite a reaction from Putin by asking him about a recent change the Russian leader made.
Says Wallace, "There was a time when the regional governors were elected, correct? And all of the sudden, Putin says, 'No, no, no. I shall appoint the governors.' That's democracy? That's not democracy the way I understand it."
"The principle of appointing regional leaders is not a sign of a lack of democracy," Putin retorts. "You're absolutely wrong. For instance, India is called the largest world democracy. But their governors have always been appointed by the central government and nobody disputes that India is not a democracy."
The Russian leader then points to what he believes are drawbacks to America's own brand of democracy, including the Electoral College system.
"In the United States, you first elect the electors and then they vote for the presidential candidates. In Russia, the president is elected through the direct vote of the whole population. That might be even more democratic," says Putin.
"And you have other problems in your elections," he tells Wallace. "Four years ago, your presidential election was decided by the court. The judicial system was brought into it. But we're not going to poke our noses into your democratic system because that's up to the American people."
Putin also believes the U.S. democratic system does not travel well and that is precisely why he was against the war in Iraq from the beginning.
"Democracy cannot be exported to some other place," says the Russian president. "[Democracy] must be a product of internal domestic development in a society."
Putin says the Iraq war has spawned more terrorists and that the war was perhaps Mr. Bush's biggest blunder.
But pulling out of Iraq is not an option, says Putin. "But if the U.S. were to leave and abandon Iraq without establishing the grounds for a united and sovereign country, that would definitely be a second mistake."
On Monday, heads of state or high-level officials from some 50 countries, including the France, Germany, Japan and China, are expected to come to Moscow for the ceremonies, which will include a military parade on Red Square and a reception in the Kremlin.
What will Putin tell them, Wallace asks.
"We should not forget the things that brought us together, that united us," Putin said. "And that we need to unite our efforts again to counter contemporary threats and challenges. We have to look to the future to fight for the future of mankind and to fight especially against terrorism."
The full interview airs Sunday, May 8, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
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