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8 Jun, 2007 04:41

Media Mirror - 8.06.07.

Media Mirror - 8.06.07.

Russian press mainly gives reports on the first day of the G8 summit in Heilendamm and focuses on the Thursday’s announcement by the Presidents of Russia and the U.S. on missile defence system.

Unexpected twists usually do not happen at G8 summits. The media have to feed on the slightest nuances of what the national leaders say on the problems on the agenda.

This time it is enough to have a look at the newspaper headlines to see that Thursday’s announcement by the Presidents of Russia and the U.S. on missile defence equally surprised those who were bemoaning the global warming agenda and those who were anticipating a U.S.-Russia fistfight.

VREMYA NOVOSTEI titled the report from Germany “G8 or the Big Two?” It says that Russia and the U.S. clearly dominate the meeting, if not with a good fight then with the unexpected joy of a mutually beneficial solution to a major issue.

KOMMERSANT as usual has a thorough report on the first day of the summit, describing in humorous detail every step made by the world leaders at their informal meeting.

KOMSOMOLSKAYA PRAVDA has a piece headlined “Missile Defence for Two”. The paper writes that for Russia it is a win-win situation: now Bush can either accept the offer of the shared use of the radar station in Azerbaijan that covers Iran, Iraq and the whole area in Asia where a flight of a “rogue” missile may originate from, or admit that the elements to be deployed in Eastern Europe are actually aimed at Russia, push for their deployment and consequently take the blame for the revival of the cold war.

KOMMERSANT again, now with a commentary saying that in fact, negotiations about the Azerbaijan-based radar station have been going on for some time on the quiet.

MOSKOVSKIY KOMSOMOLETS has a column by Yulia Kalinina who says about President Putin’s ability to surprise and draw the attention of the international media:

“It is paradoxical, because he doesn’t do anything extravagant. He just calls things their true names, that is all”.

An opinion piece by investigative writer Edvard Maksimovski in NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA sheds light, if a very specific light, on the origins and consequences of Islamic terrorism. The writer is convinced that the dependence of the U.S. on Middle East oil, if continued, will soon cause the destruction of Western civilization. He sees the only possible cure in a true strategic alliance of Russia and the United States. Here are some quotes:

“Out of every 100 billion dollars paid by the U.S. for Arab oil 30 billion are used against the U.S., and then the U.S. has to spend another 50 billion out of its covert funds to counter this anti-American activity”.

“The borders of Russia are today the boundaries of U.S. national security. If Russia is destroyed, the U.S. will follow immediately”.

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