Combative Putin bashes West on eve of G8 summit

MOSCOW, June 4 (Reuters) Russian President Vladimir Putin has set the stage for a frosty Group of Eight summit this week by launching broadsides at the West over missile defence, Kosovo and democratic standards.

Putin will meet US President George W Bush and other world leaders on Wednesday when they assemble in the German Baltic Sea resort of Heiligendamm for their annual G8 meeting.

Putin signalled he would arrive at the summit in combative mood, in an interview in which he reserved his most uncompromising language to lambast the United States over its plans to build a missile defence shield in Europe.

He also indicated he would not shy away from fights with German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her criticism of his human rights record and British Prime Minister Tony Blair over the politically-charged murder of a former Russian spy.

On missile defence, Putin said that if the United States went ahead with its plan to station elements of a missile shield in eastern Europe, Russia would retaliate by training its missiles on targets in Europe.

Russia has not specifically aimed its missiles at Europe since the end of the Cold War but, asked if it might do so again if the US missile shield plan went ahead, Putin said: ''Of course we are returning to those times.

''It is clear that if a part of the US nuclear capability turns up in Europe, and, in the opinion of our military specialists, will threaten us, then we are forced to take corresponding steps in response.'' ''What will those steps be? Naturally, we will have to have new targets in Europe.'' He added: ''We want to be heard, we want our position to be understood.

''But if that does not happen, we lift from ourselves any responsibility for the steps we take in response, because we are not the ones who are initating the looming arms race in Europe.'' JIBE Putin's comments came in an interview he gave to selected media from G8 countries on Friday. The Kremlin released a transcript of the interview on its Internet site www.kremlin.ru at 0230 hrs IST today.

In a further jibe at the United States, Putin said no one country should be allowed to dictate its views to others.

''Certain participants in the international arena assume that their opinion is the ultimate truth. That, naturally, does not help create an atmosphere of trust.'' Putin also underlined the gulf between Russia and the West over the future of Serbia's Kosovo province.

The United States and some European countries want a resolution on effective independence for the province put to a vote in the United Nations, but Russia has hinted it may use its veto to block this.

''We hear only one answer. That we need to hurry. But hurry where? What is happening that requires us to be in such a rush?'' Putin said.

He used the interview to counter allegations from Western countries including Merkel at a summit with Putin last month that he is rolling back democratic freedoms and stopping his opponents from holding protests.

''Let's not be hypocritical about democratic freedoms and human rights,'' said Putin.

''The United States today is the main violator of freedoms and human rights on a global scale there are also grievances towards France and Great Britain and Germany.

He said he respected peoples' right to protest but added: ''When people deliberately provoke the police then the authorities are obliged to use the necessary means to bring them to order.'' In comments likely to lead to tense exchanges when Putin meets Blair at the G8 summit, the Russian leader accused Britain of politicising the murder of former Russian security service agent Alexander Litvinenko.

Litvinenko died in a London hospital after being poisoned with polonium 210, a radioactive isotope. Putin said the affair was being whipped up by Russian emigres given refuge in London after fleeing prosecution in Russia.

''After Britain allowed a significant number of crooks, suspicious characters and terrorists to gather on its territory, it endangered the life and health of Britain's own subjects, and all the blame for that rests with Britain.''

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