BUSH VISIT: President Vladimir Putin launched a robust defence of Russian democracy yesterday after President Bush questioned his attitude to the rule of law, independent media and political opposition at their summit meeting in the Slovak capital.
In their first major talks since Mr Bush's re-election and a clash over Viktor Yushchenko's victory in Ukraine's presidential poll, the two leaders pledged to work together to fight terror, prevent Iran and North Korea acquiring nuclear weapons, bring peace to the Middle East and boost energy co-operation.
But after Mr Bush peppered his European tour with unusually blunt queries over the state of Russian democracy, the focus was on how Mr Putin would answer the charge that he is reversing liberal reforms begun by Presidents Gorbachev and Yeltsin.
"A strong country is built by developing a strong democracy," Mr Bush told reporters after meeting his Russian counterpart in the imposing castle that overlooks Bratislava.
"The rule of law, protection of minorities, freedom of the press and a viable political opposition," Mr Bush said, were "universal principles" of a democracy that could not be sacrificed. "Democracy and freedom bring prosperity to every land." But Mr Putin, who has overseen the emasculation of independent television and crushed his liberal opponents since taking power in 2000, was in no mood to give way.
"Russia chose democracy 14 years ago, independent of outside pressure. It made that decision in its own interests. . . it was a final choice and there is no way back," he said. "Any return to totalitarianism is impossible today because of the state of Russian society."
Pressed over what specific problems he raised with his Russian counterpart, Mr Bush repeatedly chose to praise the former KGB spy as a trustworthy straight talker.
"We have a frank and candid relationship," Mr Bush said with a broad smile. "This is the kind of fella that when he says 'yes' he means 'yes'."
In his most expansive moment, Mr Bush declared: "Mr President - it's great to see you again!" But, standing next to him on the podium, Mr Putin for the most part remained stony-faced.
"We can see no alternative to the consistent strengthening of the US-Russia relationship," he conceded, before adding: "I respect [ Mr Bush] a lot and think some of his ideas could be taken on board. But some other ideas I will not comment upon."
Assailed by the US and European Union for allowing the Yukos oil firm to be broken up and its founder - the rich and powerful Mr Mikhail Khodorkovsky - to be thrown into jail, Mr Putin insisted that the state must place some limits on democracy and economic freedom.
In a clear reference to the corrupt, cut-price privatisations of the Yeltsin era that gave birth to a few billionaire "oligarchs" like Mr Khodorkovsky, Mr Putin declared: "Democracy. . . should not be accompanied by the collapse of the state and the impoverishment of the people. Democracy is not anarchy, it is not an opportunity to do what you want and rob your own people.
"We are not going to invent a special Russian democracy. We are committed to the fundamental principles of democracy," Mr Putin continued.
"But all the institutions of democracy must be compatible with the condition of Russia and its history."
After recent rows over the contentious elections in Ukraine - where Mr Putin openly backed the pro-Moscow candidate, Mr Viktor Yanukovich, and congratulated him on a "victory" that was later annulled for fraud - and the Kremlin's opposition to the war in Iraq, the two leaders were keen however, to underline their essential partnership.
"It is obvious that Russia and the US share long-term strategic goals," Mr Putin insisted, with reference to growing US links with the Russian oil industry and pledges to co-operate in science, high-technology and space projects.
Mr Bush called Russia a "strong and viable partner for the US" and promised full support for Moscow's long-standing effort to join the World Trade Organisation.
But he will have raised hackles in Moscow earlier in the day by calling for the strengthening of democracy across the former Soviet Union - talk that Russian officials associate with what they see as recent US-backed revolutions in Georgia and Ukraine, which brought to power leaders who want to reduce the Kremlin's traditional influence on their nations.
"It took almost a decade after the velvet revolution for democracy to fully take root in this country," Mr Bush told a cheering crowd in central Bratislava. "And the democratic revolutions that swept this region over 15 years ago are now reaching Georgia and Ukraine.
"In 10 days Moldova has the opportunity to place its democratic credentials beyond doubt as its people head to the polls," he added, referring to elections in the former Soviet republic a week on Sunday.
"Inevitably, the people of Belarus will some day proudly belong to the country of democracies," he added, referring to Ukraine's neighbour, an isolated state run by the authoritarian Mr Alexander Lukashenko, whom US officials once called "Europe's last dictator".