The head of Russia's parliamentary defense committee praised the nomination of retired General Colin Powell to the post of US secretary of state Monday, saluting his "professionalism and political qualities."
"When a person such as Powell, with 35 years of military service, is appointed to a political post, it shows that leaders capable of working in times of crisis are needed," the State Duma lower house of parliament defense committee head, General Andrei Nikolayev told AFP in an interview.
"Today's politics demand that top leaders such as ministers and presidents work in almost militaristic conditions," he said.
Nikolayev, who first met Powell in 1993, said "US politics would not be so much military but tougher and more consistent" under the leadership of the former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.
"Republicans will be tougher than the Democrats in their policies (with Russia) but they will also be more predictable," added Nikolayev.
After his nomination on Saturday, the designated Secretary of State spoke out in favor of a national missile defense system (NMD) that Russia strongly opposes.
"We have to spend time with other nations in the world that possess strategic offensive weapons and do not yet understand our thinking," said Powell.
"It will be tough negotiations ... It will not be easy, but they have to understand that we feel this is in the best interest of the American people."
Moscow has so far rejected Washington's proposal to amend the cornerstone 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty to allow for the construction of the 60-billion-dollar defense system, which would fend off threats from so-called "rogue states" Iran, Iraq and North Korea -- MOSCOW (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
