WDORLD The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, April 3, 2002-5 Russians wary of U.S. amidst upcoming summit Questions of anti-terrorist coalition to be raised in three- day long Russian conference MOSCOW (AP) - Ahead of a Russian- U.S. summit next month, Russians increas- ingly are asking what rewards they have reaped from joining the U.S.-led anti-ter- rorist coalition and where President Vladimir Putin's pro-Western policy is leading the nation. Summing up the negative attitude of many politicians, political analysts and journalists, one lawmaker reminded a round-table discussion on Russian-U.S. cooperation that many had warned Putin about trusting America. "The majority, who didn't support the president's plans from the beginning, now are washing their hands of them, saying 'We warned you, you won't get anything from the Americans,"' lawmaker Alexei Arbatov said yesterday. The meeting was just one of many recent public discussions that have highlighted the wide gap between Putin and the majority of Russian opinion-makers on foreign policy questions. President Bush will meet Putin during a May 23-26 visit to Moscow and St. Petersburg. Putin surprised many by enthusiastically joining the anti-terrorist coalition after Sept. 11, offering to share intelligence, open air corridors for humanitarian flights and aid in search-and-rescue missions. Leonid Ivashov, a former high-ranking Defense Ministry official, likened Russia's moves after Sept. 11 to "an attempt at geostrategic suicide." Putin raised eyebrows further by giving the green light to U.S. troop deployments in formerly Soviet Central Asia and astounded many Russians when he calmly accepted the imminent arrival of U.S. military instructors in Georgia, on Russia's tense southern flank. The government insists on the need to stand by the international fight against ter- rorism, which it says threatens Russia as well, pointing to the war with separatists in Chechnya. But even state media "portray all these cooperative moves by him almost as trea- son," former Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev told the American Cham- ber of Commerce yesterday. Objecting to what they characterized as a Russian foreign policy retreat, many Rus- sians had hoped the new thaw in relations between Washington and Moscow would bring tangible results in policy and possibly economic benefits. But Russia has instead seen some real setbacks to its foreign policy goals: Bush elected to dump the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, which Moscow had vowed to save, and NATO is marching steadily toward fur- ther eastern expansion, which Moscow has vehemently opposed. Washington has not yet delivered the long-sought cancellation of the Soviet-era Jackson-Vanick amendment, which makes trade concessions contingent on Russia's human rights performance, or the declara- tion of Russia as a market economy - which would lower import tariffs and ease Moscow's way into the World Trade Organi- zation. On the positive side, the United States has initiated a bilateral business forum to discuss cooperation, but the two nations have clashed over new U.S. steel tariffs and Russia's recent suspension of U.S. poultry imports. "What's happened over the past half- year in the economic relations of our countries?" asked Alexander Livshits, a top economic adviser to former Russian President Boris Yeltsin and a former envoy to the Group of Eight. "They crushed our steel, along with the steel of other coun- tries, created an American-Russian busi- ness dialogue, and we quarreled about chickens." Filipino leaders ask U.S. troops to remain ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (AP)- Officials in the southern Philippines said yesterday they want U.S. troops to stay longer than planned to ensure Muslim extremist rebels are wiped out and planned infrastructure projects are completed. More than 600 American military personnel are taking part in a six- month counter-terrorism training exer- cise designed to help the Philippine military crush the Abu Sayyaf group on Basilan island. It is scheduled to end July 15. U.S. officials are also planning to improve water systems, build roads and an airstrip in the poor, predomi- nantly Muslim island province to revive commerce and attract invest- ment following years of fighting and high-profile crimes by the Abu Sayyaf, local government spokesman Chris Puno said. "We've been neglected for a long, long time and we should give the Americans enough time to help us," Puno said. Basilan mayors are considering a request to the national government to extend the American presence by six months, he said. National Security Adviser Roilo Golez told reporters that two U.S. sena- tors who arrived Monday for a three- day visit are assessing how much more military aid the Philippines needs in addition to the $100 million committed by President Bush last November. "We can expect more in terms of aircraft, training, choppers, and I think that's very vital for the upgrade of our military capability," Golez said. Tahira Ismael, mayor of Basilan's coastal town of Lantawan, said her area of more than 27,000 people has been devastated by years of violence. "It's not just the peace and order. We badly need development," said Tahira. "Those opposing the U.S. troops do not know what we are going through here." Left-wing groups claim the pres- ence of the U.S. troops violates a constitutional restriction on foreign troops in this former American colony and could escalate conflict in the south, many areas of which have long been a hotbed of Muslim separatist rebellions. Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Teodosio, director of Philippine troops in the train- ing exercise, said U.S. military engineers may need to stay longer in Basilan if Washington proceeds with plans to finance infrastructure projects. Lt. Gen. Roy Cimatu, who heads the southern Philippine military command, said the fewer than 100 Abu Sayyaf rebels on Basilan have split into three groups to evade pursuing troops. It is unclear whether three people kidnapped by the group Wichita, Kan.,amissionaries Gracia and Mar- tin Burnham and Filipino nurse Edi- borah Yap - were separated, but indications are that the captives remain on the island, he told reporters. They are the last hostages from an Abu Sayyaf kidnapping spree that began last May. da 1 One of our job requirements (I1 bin y u sef includes ~~ How can you grow as an individual if you're being forced into a mold? At Ernst & Young, we empower you to push the boundaries. We offer the chance to generate creative ideas that really count. On our teams everyone has a role to play and something to contribute, so not only do you have a voice but you can make a difference with clients and co-workers alike. Break the mold. I FORTIINF' I .VA i