Critic sees a Kremlin turn for the worse

MOSCOW — Mikhail Kasyanov served as Russian prime minister from 2000 to 2004. Friendly to the West and outspoken on the need for democratic reform, he was stripped of his job as then-President Vladimir Putin gradually centralized power. Since then, Kasyanov has taken up a prominent position among Russia's dwindling opposition, running for president until the Central Election Commission early this year accused him of forging signatures and banned his candidacy. The Times interviewed him this week in his office.

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Many in the West believe that Moscow deliberately provoked a confrontation over Georgia's breakaway republics. Who do you believe is responsible for the eruption of armed conflict?

The Russian Federation relentlessly provoked the conflict in every way, and unfortunately the Georgian leadership gave in and used armed force. In response, the Russian Federation, instead of fulfilling its peacekeeping mandate, started a large-scale war against the independent sovereign state of Georgia. Not only the disproportionate use of force, but in fact a full-scale war.

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What was the strategic purpose in recognizing the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia? Russia is, so far, almost alone in the recognition.

It was obvious that the Russian authorities were amazed by the reaction of the civilized world. And they continue today on one hand to be afraid of isolation, and on the other hand making threats, saying, "We won't sell you oil." But, in fact, they are scared. . . . That is why it's crucially important that countries of the civilized world act in unison.

They clearly think that the current world can be guided by techniques used in the Soviet Union, in a totalitarian state. It's totally unacceptable.

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How does Russia view the development of friendly relations between the United States and former Soviet republics such as Ukraine and Georgia?

The propaganda streaming today from television screens and newspaper pages is, in a simplified way, calling on the nation to rally together and to protect the motherland. Hinting that war is on the threshold, that the enemies are knocking on our gates and that Russia is surrounded by enemies who want to break Russia into pieces. The current authorities want the citizens to say, "Oh, thank God, anything but war." They want to cover the problems they've created in the last few years . . . by alleging that evil forces surround Russia and dream of its destruction.