Rice vows support to Russian human rights activists

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Saturday vowed support to Russian human rights activists at a meeting in the US embassy in Moscow...

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Saturday vowed support to Russian human rights activists at a meeting in the US embassy in Moscow, following the failed talks with her Russian counterparts on Friday over the US plans to deploy missile shield in Europe.

Several US senior officials, including President George W Bush have repeatedly voiced concerns over the alleged erosion of democracy and human rights in Russia under President Vladimir Putin.

The Kremlin, in turn, has warned against US interference and condemned the use of NGOs by Western coutnries to influence Russia’s internal policy.

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Media reports said eight rights leaders, including Russia’s human rights ombudsman and former Russian ambassador to the United States, Vladimir Lukin, chair of the Moscow Helsinki Group, Lyudmila Alexeyeva and head of an assistance group for refugees, Svetlana Gannushkina attended the meeting.

Rice said she wanted to listen local human rights activists about the situation.

She also denied that she intended to interfere in Russia’s domestic affairs. Rice and US Defence Secretary Robert Gates held talks with President Vladimir Putin on Friday in the framework of the “two-plus-two” negotiations with their Russian counterparts Sergei Lavrov and Anatoly Serdyukov over the planned deployment of the elements of US missile defence, in Europe and the Russian proposal to extend the START-1 arms reduction treaty. Rice said the sides failed to overcome their differences over the issue.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said Rice and Gates had offered proposals to end the missile shield dispute, but that these measures were inadequate.