9. (C/NF) Since leaving office, said Blair, he has turned
his interests eastward. He was concerned that we risked
establishing "two top tables" with the United States at one,
Europe at the other, and China playing off the two. This was
analogous to the "most damaging thing we did with Russia."
He said the post-Yelstin era marked a missed opportunity,
when Russia had taken advantage of the lack of a cohesive
response from Europe and the U.S. in response to the
increasingly autocratic Putin, who had undone much of
Russia's democratic progress. Continuing with the boarding
school analogy, Blair said, "if America and Europe are at the
same table, we can manage China and Russia." McCain said
this was why he was developing the concept of a "league of
democracies" to join like-minded nations together in common
cause based on shared values. He asked Blair his views on
Putin. "The problem with managing Putin and Russia," said
Blair, "is that we have to deal with them when it comes to
Iran." The rest of the strategy, he said, should be to make
Russia a "little desperate" with our activities in areas
bordering on what Russia considers its sphere of interest and
along its actual borders. Russia had to be shown firmness
and sown with seeds of confusion.
tass.com
wartranslated.com
www.reuters.com
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