RUSSIA: VLADIMIR ZHIRINOVSKY CONDEMNS NATO'S PLANNED EXPANSION

(15 Feb 1997) Russian/Nat

The Russian ultra-nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky on Saturday condemned N-A-T-O's planned eastward expansion, calling it a direct threat to Russia.

His characteristically xenophobic speech came at a anti-N-A-T-O demonstration outside the U-S embassy in Moscow, just one day after N-A-T-O's Secretary-General Javier Solana completed his tour of former Soviet States.

Just a day after N-A-T-O's Secretary-General Javier Solana completed his tour of former Soviet States, ultra-nationalist leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky held an anti-N-A-T-O demonstration outside the U-S Embassy in Moscow.

The protest also comes just five days before the arrival of Madeleine Albright on her first visit to Russia as U-S Secretary of State.

Zhirinovsky told a crowd of some 100 staunch supporters that Albright was not to be trusted.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"This is why today Clinton in the figure of his foreign minister the so-called secretary of state, named this crazy old woman Albright. The old man Christopher that she replaced like a man has learnt how to sabre rattle, this fanatic woman is ready to do anything."
SUPER CAPTION: Vladimir Zhirinovsky's, ultra-nationalist leader of Liberal Democratic Party

In a xenophobic speech characteristic of the leader of so-called Russian Liberal Democratic Party, Zhirinovsky denounced N-A-T-O's plans for expansion.

He said it was a direct threat against Russia and warned that N-A-T-O would be making the same mistakes as Napoleon Bonaparte and Adolph Hitler by preparing to expand to the east.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"If we include countries from western countries, the Baltics and the Caucuses, then Russia is encircled again, like it was at the beginning of the century during the days of the Entente - all sides against the Soviet Union, history is repeating itself. Solana is the enemy. Solana and Clinton here you have two enemies of the whole world, the planet against all humanity."
SUPER CAPTION: Vladimir Zhirinovsky's, ultra-nationalist leader of Liberal Democratic Party

Saturday's demonstration was just the latest in a line of anti-N-A-T-O protests in the Russian capital.

Last week Zhirinovsky's supporters staged similar demonstrations outside a number of West European embassies.

He has also threatened to stage similar protests outside other N-A-T-O member's embassies in the future.

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