MOSCOW, Dec 6 (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin fired another blast at the West Monday, warning that efforts to push its own interests in parts of the former Soviet Union, ostensibly in the name of promoting democracy, were discriminatory and destabilizing.
"If, in the post-Soviet space, attempts are made each time to modify existing legislation to suit this or that situation, in response to this or that political force, this can destabilize a large region of the world," Putin said in remarks broadcast on Russian television.
"I find such attempts counter-productive."
Putin made the remarks to Russian journalists accompanying him on a visit to Turkey.
The Russian leader's comments were directed at opposition forces in Ukraine, according to Interfax, but they reflected broader tensions between Moscow and Western capitals that have risen in recent weeks in connection with power struggles there and elsewhere in the former Soviet Union.
Putin underlined that he was prepared to work with any leader that ultimately emerges in Ukraine or in any other part of the former Soviet Union, saying that "only the people itself, in any country in the world ... can determine its own destiny."
"We are ready to accept any wish of any people in the former Soviet territories, and we will work with any elected leader" in those states, he said, adding: "We will play a contructive role, but one of a mediators."
But he lashed out at Western governments and institutions that have strongly supported Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko's charges that a recent presidential election was flawed and had to be re-run.
He said the opposition in Ukraine was in effect stating that "we will take power whatever happens" and described this excessive and frightening pressure on local residents.
"We in Russia cannot support this sort of development of events, even if someone wants to call that 'democracy'," the Russian leader said.
"I do not want to see a situation like in Germany where it was divided between Westerners and Easterners, into first- and second-class citizens.
"The first-class people get to live under stable, democratic law while people of the so-called dark political color are being dictated to by a kind but strict uncle telling under what conditions they will live. And if they don't obey, then they will be beaten with a rocket and missile club, as happened in Belgrade," Putin said, referring to the NATO war in the former Yugoslavia.
12/06/2004 14:53 GMT - AFP