Ahern says Russia must be warned

The Taoiseach has told President Bush that the EU and the US must make clear to Russia their concern over human rights and resist Moscow's obstructionist policy in the Organisation for Security Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Leading a discussion on Russia during yesterday's meeting between Mr Bush and EU leaders in Brussels, Mr Ahern said that, although economic co-operation with Russia was moving ahead rapidly, Russia was adopting an increasingly confrontational approach on the political front.

"This is manifested in a number of ways: in Russia's apparent zero-sum approach to developments in the nations which lie in our common neighbourhood; in its ongoing criticism of those EU member-states which broke free from the Soviet Union; and in its obstructionist policies in the OSCE," he said.

Alone among the OSCE's 55 member-states, Russia is blocking the renewal of a funding agreement that expired at the end of 2004.

Moscow is unhappy with the OSCE's election-monitoring activities, which helped to overturn the official result of last year's presidential election in Ukraine.

The Taoiseach also criticised President Vladimir Putin's moves to limit press freedom and his disregard for civil rights within Russia.

"We also see a disturbing trend within Russia of weakening respect for democratic standards and fundamental rights and freedoms, particularly in relation to freedom of the media. Instead of a convergence of values, we feel a widening gap between us," he said.

Mr Bush promised to raise European concerns when he meets Mr Putin in Bratislava tomorrow.

"A constructive relationship allows me to remind him that I believe Russia is a European country, and European countries embrace those very same values that America embraces," he said.