RUSSIAN SENATOR ACCUSES WASHINGTON OF DOUBLE STANDARDS

MOSCOW, April 8 (RIA Novosti) - The US administration often uses double standards in pursuing its policy, which has exhausted itself from the democratic perspective, Vyacheslav Popov, ex-commander of the Northern Fleet who is now deputy head of the defence committee of the Federation Council (parliament's upper house), said to RIA Novosti on Thursday. Mr Popov was commenting on an upcoming address to a special commission investigating into the September 11 terrorist attacks by the American president's national security adviser Condolleeza Rice.

"The American administration is pursuing the policy of 'double standards,' which is evidenced from an analysis of the US authorities' approach to assessing terrorist threats," said Mr Popov.

The senator believes Ms Rice will uphold the administration's position and will not disclose any important details concerning the tragedy.

Washington focuses, including in fighting terrorism, on ensuring own interests alone and gives little heed to international developments. "The developments in Iraq and events in the former Yugoslavia testify to this," said Mr Popov.

The Sept. 11 tragedy, which Ms Rice will speak about in her address today, showed that no country could protect itself from terrorists without other countries' assistance, Viktor Ozerov, chairman of the Federation Council's defence committee, told RIA Novosti.

"This is the position of Russia, which is working to bring the situation in Chechnya to normal and make people work, rather than fight, the task that requires joint efforts," said Mr Ozerov.