Rice attacks Russia on democracy record

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice listens to a speech during an OSCE meeting in Vienna May 31, 2007.

POTSDAM, Germany (Reuters) - One day after sparring with Russia over missile defense and Kosovo, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice launched a new attack against its cold war foe on Thursday for a slide in democracy.

Underlining the difficult relationship Washington has with Russia, the top U.S. diplomat described it as a mix of "cooperation and competition, friendship and friction" and said Moscow needed to improve its record on democracy.

"Democratic institutions and an open society are not a source of weakness. Nor is freedom of speech and freedom of the press just a nuisance," Rice said in a speech where she received an award for her contribution to German unification while she was a Soviet specialist working at the White House.

She said Russia needed to have strong, independent institutions as well as a strong judiciary and legislature.

"(There needs to be) a strong, independent society with a strong, independent media and free and fair elections with access for monitors," Rice added.

The United States has been particularly critical of Russia's crackdown on the media and a general erosion of freedoms as the Kremlin centralized its power.

IRRITANT

Another irritant in the relationship has been the U.S. proposed missile shield as well as Moscow's suspension of its involvement in the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty.

"We find Russia's recent missile diplomacy difficult to understand and we regret Russia's reluctance to accept the partnership in missile defense that we have offered," Rice said in her speech.

The United States wants to deploy a radar system in the Czech Republic and 10 interceptor missiles in Poland by 2011-12. It says the system would counter threats from so-called "rogue states" like Iran and North Korea, but Moscow sees it as an encroachment on its former sphere of influence.

On Wednesday, after a meeting of G8 ministers, Rice and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov traded barbs at a news conference on a range of issues.

"When we differ with Russia, we will consult, we will address their views seriously, and we will express our own views candidly," Rice said.

Russia opposes a plan for Serbia's Kosovo by U.N. envoy Martti Ahtisaari that offers the Albanian majority province independence under international supervision.

But Rice said supervised independence was the only realistic course for Kosovo and the status quo was "unsustainable."

"Delay will bring little but the threat or reality of instability. We need to resolve Kosovo's final status now."

But Lavrov made clear in his discussions with Rice that the Serbs and Kosovo Albanians should be allowed to sort out the question of the future status of the Serbian province themselves, without outside interference.

Washington is sensitive over its deteriorating ties with Russia and President George W. Bush has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to his family's home in Maine in July in a bid to help improve the troubled relationship.

Earlier on Thursday, Rice had been expected to deliver a scathing attack against Russia in a speech at the Vienna-based Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe, but in her open remarks she avoided any criticism and decided not to deliver the anticipated speech.