11.04.2002

Russia Criticizes U.S. "Democracy Act"

On October 23, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Russian Democracy Act of 2001, funding the expansion of "democracy, good governance, and anti-corruption programs in the Russian Federation, in order to promote and strengthen democratic government and civil society and independent media." 


AP coverage
RIA Novosti coverage
Related Article

Text of act 
passed by Congress: H.R. 2121
signed into public law: P.L. 107-246

 

Russia Assails New Democracy Act

The Associated Press

MOSCOW –– The Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday assailed what it called the "pedantic" tone of the newly enacted Russian Democracy Act of 2002 and said its passage suggested that some U.S. lawmakers were not aware of the changes taking place in the world.

The act, intended to strengthen civil society and independent media in Russia, authorizes more than $50 million for democracy-building programs such as investigative journalism training and cultural exchanges. President Bush signed the act on Oct. 23.

"In itself, the concern about mutual humanitarian cooperation could be welcome if it were not for the pedantic tone, bordering on interference in our internal affairs," the ministry said in a statement.

"It seems that some U.S. lawmakers have been so tied up with the pre-election battles in the United States that they simply haven't managed to keep up with developments in the world."

In particular, the ministry complained, they did not notice that the two nations' presidents had signed bilateral documents that declared Russia and the United States, "two absolutely equal, great democratic states," to be strategic partners. 


Moscow Views U.S.-Passed Russian Democracy Act As Bordering on Interference In Russia's Internal Affairs

RIA Novosti

MOSCOW -- Moscow believes that the Russian Democracy Act adopted in the United States borders on intervention in the internal affairs of Russia. 

As authors of this document say, the act is aimed at implementing humanitarian programmes for the development of democracy and civic society, promoting justice and legality, the independent mass media in Russia, the RIA Novosti correspondent was told at the Press and Information Board of the Russian Foreign Ministry. 

"Care for bilateral humanitarian cooperation could only be welcomed, were it not for the didactic tone bordering on interference in internal affairs," said the Press and Information Board. 

The Russian Foreign Ministry stresses that authors of the act fail to notice the Russian-American documents adopted at the summit level which declare strategic partnership between the two wholly equal great democratic states. 

In the opinion of the Russian side, "certain American legislators have become so much bogged in electioneering battles in the United States that they merely cannot follow the world developments."