Talks of Cold War with Russia is 'nonsense': Rice

0 Comments | AFP, January, 2008

DAVOS, Switzerland (AFP) — US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice rejected the idea of a new Cold War with Moscow as "hyperbolic nonsense" on Wednesday, while criticising the lack of political freedom in Russia.

In a speech to the formal opening of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Rice took several swipes at the administration of Russian President Vladimir Putin over energy policy and a lack of checks on state power.

"To be sure, there have been disappointments," she said, urging Moscow to contribute to a "transparent and open global energy economy" rather than a monopolistic one.

Russia's state-run energy monopoly Gazprom has been criticised for using bully-boy tactics to negotiate price increases from buyers of its gas and is seen by some as a...