Russia's Putin says will crack down on unrest
MOSCOW, April 25 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin
declared on Monday that Russia would decide itself how it would
develop democracy and said authorities would crack down on any
"unlawful methods of struggle."
Apparently responding to sharp Western criticism that he is
backsliding on democracy, the Kremlin leader said in a State of
the Nation speech: "Russia .... will decide for itself the pace,
terms and conditions of moving towards democracy.
But he added that this was possible only through legal
means. "Any unlawful methods of struggle ... for ethnic,
religious and other interests contradict the principles of
democracy. The state will react (to such attempts) with legal,
but tough, means."
(Reporting by Oleg Shchedrov)
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