when the truth hurts; US `disappointed` by Putin`s charges

US `disappointed` by Putin`s charges
February 11, 2007 paktribune

WASHINGTON: The White House said Saturday it was "surprised and disappointed" by Russian President Vladimir Putin`s charges that the United States had broken from international law and made the world a more dangerous place.
"We are surprised and disappointed with President Putin`s comments," White House national security spokesman Gordon Johndroe said in a statement. "His accusations are wrong," he said.

"We expect to continue cooperation with Russia in areas important to the international community such as counterterrorism and reducing the spread and threat of weapons of mass destruction," Johndroe said.

Putin, speaking at a high-level security conference in Munich, Germany, said Saturday: "The United States has overstepped its borders in all spheres -- economic, political and humanitarian and has imposed itself on other states."

What he called a "unipolar" world dominated by the United States, "means in practice one thing: one center of power, one center of force, one center of decision-making, a world of one master, one sovereign," Putin said.

Such a situation "is extremely dangerous. No one feels secure because no one can hide behind international law," Putin said at the 43rd Munich Conference on Security Policy.

The speech marked a further worsening of relations between Moscow and Washington under Putin, who has tried to restore Russia`s prestige since the economic collapse that followed the Soviet Union`s 1991 disintegration.

Russian officials have accused Washington of sparking a new arms race due to US plans for missile defense facilities in the Czech Republic and Poland.