Russia held back by corruption: US Vice President
March 11th, 2011 - 6:14 pm ICT by ANIMoscow, Mar.11 (ANI): US Vice President Joe Biden, has said Russia is being held back by corruption and the Kremlin’s reluctance to embrace democracy, adding that attempts to modernize Russia’s economy without political reform were likely to fail.
In a speech given at the Moscow State University during his weeklong European visit, Biden said: ” Do not compromise on the basic tenets of democracy, you need not make that Faustian bargain.”
After his meeting with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Biden said he did not want to lecture the Russians, but ended up delivering a speech in which he criticized almost every part of Russia’s political and legal system.
Biden said: ” Get your system right, Modernization in every way is essential,” adding that corruption was scaring off foreign investors.
He also addressed issues related to poblems in business investment, citing the case of Sergei Magnitsky, a lawyer who was arrested and died in custody in 2009 after accusing the police of corruption, demonstrators who were beaten and detained last year while advocating for the right to peacefully assemble, and Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the Russian oligarch whose second trial on new charges of embezzlement and money laundering was clouded with allegations of misconduct, The Telegraph reports.
During his visit, Biden set out to build a succeddful ‘reset’ of US- Russian relations over the past two years and discussed international security issues as well as nore sensitive issues like domestic economic growth in both countries and political reforms in Russia. (ANI)
- Russian tycoon gets additional six years in jail - Dec 31, 2010
- Former Russian oil tycoon convicted for fraud (Lead) - Dec 27, 2010
- US, Germany 'deeply concerned' about Russian tycoon's 'illegal' conviction - Dec 28, 2010
- Court reduces Russian tycoon's prison term by one year - May 25, 2011
- Russia rejects criticism of Khodorkovsky verdict - Dec 28, 2010
- Medvedev, Biden to meet in Moscow - Mar 09, 2011
- Russian ex-oil tycoon convicted in fraud case - Dec 27, 2010
- Russia makes list of 'undesirable' US officials - Oct 23, 2011
- Medvedev, IMF chief to discuss world financial system - Nov 07, 2011
- Medvedev appoints deputy PM - Dec 28, 2011
- Russia must democratise to avoid mass unrest: Gorbachev - Oct 19, 2010
- Russia to protect its companies in Libya - Sep 03, 2011
- Russian protests may turn into civil war: Billionaire - Jan 31, 2012
- Infamous 'Butyrka' Prison In Russia To Install Sunbeds For Enhancement Of Its Inmates' Robustness - Nov 10, 2010
- Medvedev to make final state-of-the-nation address - Dec 22, 2011
Tags: business investment, demonstrators, embezzlement, faustian bargain, foreign investors, international security issues, joe biden, kremlin, mikhail khodorkovsky, money laundering, moscow state university, political reforms, president joe, russian oligarch, russian prime minister, russian relations, sensitive issues, telegraph reports, us vice president, vladimir putin