Rice attacks Russia on democracy record

By Sue Pleming

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.