US to Voice Concern about Democracy in Russia

The US administration has been discussing a possibility of reviewing US policy toward Russia in the face of growing concerns about the alleged persecution of dissidents by Russian authorities and the Russian tactics of pressurizing its neighbors. The report has been published by influential American newspaper "The Washington Post".

According to the report, ahead of the G-8 summit in St. Petersburg the White House administration has been discussing various ways of demonstrating US concern about the state of democracy in Russia. Among the possible ways is a statement to be made by a senior official in the Bush administration – most likely by State Secretary Condoleezza Rice – on the subject of how Washington views the present course of Russia's development.

In addition, it has been proposed to hold in Russia or elsewhere a meeting of representatives of Russian human rights and democratic organizations with their American colleagues and politicians, in order to demonstrate US support for them. "The US administration believes that something should be done, but is does not know what yet", writes "The Washington Post".