Foreign Minister Schwarzenberg: Russia could become threat to Europe

Russia could become an imminent threat to Europe in five to ten years' time, said Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg in an interview for the Financial Times on Friday. According to Schwarzenberg, Russia seeks to regain the same status in relations to the U.S. that the Soviet Union once had. He said that investments into a prestige-oriented strategy and military power instead of civil infrastructure may once again leave Russia as "a giant with feet of clay." Mr. Schwarzenberg's statements were criticized by Czech opposition as well as by the Green Party which nominated him for the post of the foreign minister.