U.S. VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY, WRAPPING UP AN OVERSEAS TRIP THAT PRODUCED SPARKS IN MOSCOW, DEFENDED HIS CRITICISM OF RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN AS MEASURED IN TONE. «IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE OPEN, HONEST, FRANK DISCUSSIONS ABOUT YOUR VIEWS,» CHENEY SAID SUNDAY, ACCORDING TO AP. «NONE OF US WANTS TO SEE RUSSIA AS AN ENEMY,» CHENEY TOLD REPORTERS ABOARD AIR FORCE TWO ON HIS WAY HOME AFTER STOPS IN LITHUANIA, KAZAKHSTAN AND CROATIA. THE VICE PRESIDENT PRAISED THE PROGRESS TOWARD DEMOCRACY ACROSS EASTERN EUROPE AND STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF KAZAKHSTAN'S ENERGY RESERVES. THE FORMER SOVIET REPUBLIC IN CENTRAL ASIA IS «ONE OF THE FEW PLACES WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SEE AN INCREASE IN OIL PRODUCTION FROM A NON-OPEC STATE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS,» HE SAID. CHENEY ALSO SAID THAT HE THOUGHT IT WAS A MISTAKE FOR COUNTRIES TO NATIONALIZE THEIR ENERGY INDUSTRIES, AS BOLIVIA RECENTLY SAID IT WAS DOING WITH ITS NATURAL GAS RESOURCES.
