The Media Mirror: what's in today's Russian newspapers?

In this programme, out with radical rhetoric, long live compromise, a new Roman Empire in the making, the U.S.- five years in Iraq. And there’s no such thing as ideal relations with NATO.

GLOBAL AFFAIRS. Chief Editor Fedor Lukyanov writes that in the past decade Russia’s foreign policy has been lacking in compromise. It was a necessity as Russia was recreating itself as a major world power. At the moment, writes the author, with a new president just elected, it is possible to bring back compromise as a tool of diplomacy. Now Russia is strong again, and strong players need to look cool and polite, and be ready for a compromise without damage to national interest.

ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA. Political scientist Andranik Migranian says the same in regard to the post-election situation in Armenia. He says that former President Ter-Petrosian fully relied on radical and revolutionary rhetoric. He could not have won the election itself , he wanted to win the post-election through mass demonstrations and riots – or to lose in a way that would shake the whole republic, which he did. Now the time for radical rhetoric is over. It’s no good for reconciliation.

KOMSOMOLSKAYA PRAVDA writes by launching the idea of a Mediterranean Union, the EU is creating a new Roman Empire. German analyst Alexander Rahr says the prospective union is a way to limit Russia’s influence in Europe as the main supplier of gas and oil.

NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA writes it’s been five years since the U.S.-led coalition invaded Iraq. The paper says in May 2003 USS Abraham Lincoln was flying a banner saying “Mission Accomplished”. In January 2007 President Bush announced the steps that were going to change the course of the Iraq war. The paper says there’s no end in sight for that war – no matter now if the coalition pulls out of Iraq or not.

The same newspaper has an interview with Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, Alexander Grushko, who says there’s no such thing as an ideal state of Russia’s relations with NATO. It’s impossible for Russia and NATO to agree on every issue they discuss. But interaction is necessary, especially in our age of global threats. We have a lot of issues we can agree upon.