Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder accused the West on Monday in Berlin of major blunders in dealing with Russia, noting such had led to the crisis in the Caucasus.
According to German news agency DPA, Schroeder made the remarks during a speech in Berlin to a trade-union poor-relief organization, the AWO.
The former chancellor contended that it had been a blunder for the United States to train Georgia's military and establish anti-missile defenses in Poland and the Czech Republic.
Schroeder said it had also been an error for Western nations to recognize Kosovo as independent.
"These policies must have seemed constricting to Russia," he was quoted as saying, adding that the Georgian attack on South Ossetia had crossed "more red lines" for Moscow that led the Russians to counteract.
According to Schroeder, the only way back to peace and stability in Europe was further dialogue with Moscow.
He suggested the European Union should act as mediator, because unlike the United States, it had no geo-political interests in the Caucasus.
On the same day, leaders from all EU member states held a special summit in Brussels, exploring the way out for the bloc to dealing with the Caucasus crisis.
Source:Xinhua
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