Friendship with authoritarian Russia is expensive and lasts through the concessions Obama declared the U.S. edition.
The Russian president went to U.S. for forging economic ties, writes Die Presse, referring to Dmitri Medvedev, "the man who came up with the West."
"Being young in the rear guard of the Russian politicians, which no longer has a strong influence of hardened bipolar thinking of the Cold War, 44-year-old politician feels the U.S. is clearly comfortable with," - says journalist Thomas Viregge, adding that the Russian president makes a good impression and to their U.S. counterparts. Between him and Obama immediately established a spontaneous friendship. For a working visit to the United States chose not to Medvedev sovcem usual route, which began with a visit to Silicon Valley in California.
One of the central issues of Medvedev's visit was Russia's accession to the WTO, which Moscow wants the last few years. According to American experts, the emphasis on the economy suggests the normalization of relations have reached its bottom after the war in Georgia in the summer of 2008.
However, despite the fact that many of the differences in foreign and defense policy was eliminated, the U.S. economy still scares rampant corruption and crime in Russia. While Medvedev, speaking at Stanford University, stressed that Russia is open for investment, trade and joint projects in the public life and the economy, investors are wary. "When oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, many believe, would symbolize the true change in Russia," - the author concludes.
On Thursday, President Obama said he would help Russia accelerate the entry into the WTO, and in an interview with President Medvedev expressed hope that the 30 September Russia will remove the last obstacles to her admission to the organization, according to The Wall Street Journal. "On Thursday, the presidents also signed an agreement which permits the export of U.S. poultry to Russia, and thus closed the long controversy" - writes reporter Elizabeth Williamson. This step demonstrates that Russia is serious about joining the WTO, said Obama. In a joint statement issued after the agreement, taking Russia into the WTO is called "the priority of trade policy," the two countries. "Special care WTO and the U.S. - the need to bring Russian laws into conformity with international law in the areas of economic crime and intellectual property" - the newspaper. According to the newspaper, WTO accession and the inflow of foreign investment will also facilitate the reduction of Russia's strategic sectors of the list from 208 to 41, which recently announced Medvedev.
"Obama and Medvedev agreed advertise heart" - says Le Figaro. "When Barack Obama's advisers are asked with which the Heads of State or Government, he managed to establish a privileged relationship, the name of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has always cited on the list" - the newspaper notes. This fact is somewhat surprising, given the vast differences in cultural and political dividing these two figures and two of the country: democracy on the one hand and an increasingly authoritarian regime - on the other hand, the author writes Laura Mandeville.
Obama on Thursday gave a warm welcome to his guest, with whom the White House discussed the important issues: Iran, Korea, G8 and G20. And discussed bilateral economic relations, which Obama himself bulk "undeveloped." Obama, however, said that "very satisfied" with the results "of the past 18 months."
"Judging by what they say Barack Obama's advisers," extremely strong and close "relations between the two presidents helped improve the climate has spoiled the last stage of the Bush presidency, especially in connection with the invasion of Georgia", - says the publication. In the U.S. administration believe that the fruit has brought Obama overall philosophy: to identify issues of mutual interest, on which both sides could move forward together, rather than focusing on the differences.
"From this point of view, Americans are positively evaluated the results achieved: the signing of a treaty on nuclear disarmament, Russia's accession to new sanctions against Iran and North Korea. In addition, the signing of an agreement to facilitate the transit of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. However, the U.S. side acknowledges that there remain deep divisions on European security and Georgia. " Obama urged Russia to work together with the United States on missile defense: an American president would like to make this aspect of the source of cooperation. America also hopes to improve economic ties. "Dmitry Medvedev's visit to Silicon Valley and its position in favor of the policy innovations are perceived in Washington as a hope to push Moscow toward a more transparent economy" - emphasizes the publication.
But not everyone sees relationship with Russia in pink. David Kramer, who dealt in the Bush administration's human rights issues, believes that it is too early to talk about success. In this case it refers to a recently published paper on Russian foreign policy, particularly with regard to the former Soviet Union: "We do not pay enough attention to this region," - he said and stressed that they should not sell "Georgians and Moldovans" in the name of good relations with the Russian, the newspaper notes.
"Friendship with Russia is not cheap" - says edition The Newsweek. One has to admit that Obama's efforts to "reset" relations with Russia have been extremely fruitful. "But the trouble is that all this goodwill acquired almost exclusively concessions Obama" - believes correspondent Owen Matthews. U.S. allies were disappointed by canceling missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic, as well as actually recognized a fait accompli, "the Russian occupation of Georgia, the best friend of America in the former Soviet Union," the article says. Washington is also silent about the suppression of freedom of assembly in Russia and the second trial of Khodorkovsky. According to the newspaper, instead of Obama got very little: Moscow no longer seek the expulsion of Americans from an airbase in Kyrgyzstan, supported the moderate sanctions against Iran and signed the START-3.
At the meeting, Obama and Medvedev focuses on the business relationships that suits both parties. Washington believes that Russia more deeply integrated into the U.S. economy and the EU, the less likely a return to confrontation, Mr. Putin's time. Meanwhile, the friendliness of the Russian leadership's newfound urgent need to revive due to the economy, says the publication. According to the magazine, Obama is a risky game, but the confrontational course of Bush in his time has brought more harm than good, so that a reboot - still the best chance of friendly relations with Russia.
Obama and Medvedev would have to discuss whether there is enough brave Moscow to lead Russia to the present prosperity and democracy, writes in an article in The Christian Science Monitor Lawrence I. Harrison, director of the Cultural Change Institute at Tufts University Fletcher School. "Based on his recent meeting with Medvedev, I doubt that Moscow had courage enough," - says the author.
According to Harrison, Russia is at a crossroads, "whether to accept the mediocre status of the country's" second world ", whether to accept the conditions for becoming a country of" first world "?" The author advises Russia to go for wealth and prestige around the concept of Gorbachev this way more reliable than those of "leadership, deliberately to revive the prestige of Russia by authoritarianism of the"
