According to a source in Mr. Edward's election support staff, the senator's election platform was much alike that of Mr. Kerry, but in several directions was more aggressive and offensive. Contesting for being nominated the democratic candidate for the U.S. presidency, Mr. Edwards, particularly, stated in mid-January that in case of his coming to the White House he would fight against anti-democratic trends in the foreign countries on the international arena.
Mr. Edwards announced that he would order the U.S. Department of the State to draw up "a freedom list" that would contain the names of all persons kept in prison abroad for political reasons. The U.S. Department of State will have to be more active in struggling for release of the prisoners of conscience standing on this list, stated the senator.
The officially published election platform of Mr. Edwards contained a special section devoted to "relations between membership in key international institutes and democracy." In this section he, particularly, emphasized the need "of putting membership in international and regional organizations in dependence of the readiness (of countries) to show basic adherence to good administration and democracy".
"It shall include verification of membership in the existing institutions, for example, continuation of Russia's membership in the G8, provided that the current antidemocratic trends continue in Russia," stressed Mr. Edwards election platform.
In Mr. Kerry's election staff RIA Novosti was told that the U.S. vice-president nominee usually went for elections with the political platform developed by the candidate for presidency. Currently, the joint platform is being developed and will officially be made public at the upcoming pre-election democratic party congress late in July in Boston (Massachusetts). At present, the staff does not have the information as to what elements of Mr. Edward's position can be introduced to the democrats' official election platform.
