Putin denies Russia wants to revive Soviet Union
October 18th, 2011 - 12:03 pm ICT by IANSMoscow, Oct 18 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin denied that Russia has ambitions to re-integrate the former Soviet states.
“We are not talking about political integration, about the revival of the Soviet Union, Russia is not interested in that today,” Putin said in an interview with three national TV channels seven weeks before parliamentary elections scheduled for Dec 4.
“It is not interested in taking on excessive risks, taking excessive responsibility for the counties that for various reasons… remain close to us,” he said.
Putin also dismissed Western media reports concerning Russia’s “imperialist ambitions”, saying that Western experts who criticise Russia-CIS states integration policy should “mind their own business”.
“Tackle rising inflation, state debt or at least obesity. Mind your own business,” the premier added.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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Tags: cis states, excessive risks, imperialist ambitions, inflation, integration policy, mind your own business, national tv, obesity, parliamentary elections, political integration, revival, ria novosti, russian prime minister, seven weeks, soviet states, soviet union, state debt, tv channels, vladimir putin, western experts