美国务卿希拉里·克林顿访谈

GOLLUST: What's your level of concern about the state of democratic freedoms in Russia? Many people think it's deteriorated since the Yeltsin years.

CLINTON:  I think there are some unfortunate trends in both democracy and human rights and also in development. Russia's life span is going down. This is a great country with an extraordinary history and very intelligent population, well-educated. So, I think that Russia has some work to do at home, which I believe President Medvedev recognizes. He has spoken about, he's written about it. And, I think, in the long run, it is in Russia's interest to be more open and more tolerant of dissent, and to continue working to expand its free market and join the world trade organization and all of the other aspects of modernization, which really should help Russians.

GOLLUST: You spoke in your address about the elections in Ukraine coming up being part of a process that will bring Ukraine closer to the European mainstream. On the other hand, if you look at polls, a candidate who basically opposes NATO membership, might win the election. If that happens, is that a setback?

CLINTON:  No, because it's a decision for a country to make. Nobody is forced to join NATO; it's only if a country wishes to apply for membership, and if there's a change in political leadership, in Ukraine, and the Ukrainian people decide that they, at this time, would prefer not to pursue NATO membership, that's their choice.

GOLLUST: You also mentioned in the address the continuing United States concern about Abkhazia-South Ossetia. Doesn't, in fact, the fact that Russia practically, or physically occupies these areas really preclude the possibility of NATO membership for Georgia?

CLINTON:  No. Georgia is in a process to see if it can meet the standards for membership. There's certainly not a recognition in Europe or the United States, or among NATO members of the legitimacy of the secession South Ossetia and Abkhazia. We would hope for improvement in the relationship between Russia and Georgia, and a cooling of any tensions and a refraining from provocation. But, this is one of the areas that we're working on.