MOSCOW, Dec 6 (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West Monday against attempts to sow divisions in Ukraine and elsewhere in the former Soviet Union, describing such efforts as "counterproductive" and destabilizing, Russian news agencies quoted him as saying on visit to Turkey.
"I do not want to see a situation like in Germany where it was divided between 'the West' and 'the East', into first- and second-class citizens," Interfax news agency quoted Putin as telling Russian journalists in Ankara.
"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 ... and if they don't obey, then they will be beaten with a rocket and missile club, as happened in Belgrade," Putin said.
12/06/2004 13:57 GMT - AFP