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U.S. urges Russia not to shut down TV6
WASHINGTON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - The White House urged the Russian government on Wednesday not to allow the closing of TV6, the largest television station still outside the grip of the Kremlin.
"We feel as though the political actions to close down independent media such as TV6 would be a step backward and out of keeping with a modern democratic society," said Sean McCormack, spokesman for the White House National Security Council.
TV6 has said it is the next target in a campaign by Russian President Vladimir Putin to silence alternatives to official propaganda, after the state-backed natural gas monopoly Gazprom took over the main independent network NTV earlier this year.
Russian politicians from the left and right on Tuesday defended TV6, a day after a court ruling threatened to shut it down.
President George W. Bush made clear during talks in Washington and Crawford, Texas, earlier this month that the issue of free and independent media was a source of contention between the two governments.
"President Bush has made clear in his many discussions with President Putin our support for free and independent media in Russia as essential to Russia's development of a modern democratic society," McCormack said.
But the dispute did not appear to be damaging the increasingly warm relationship between the two countries, as evidenced by Moscow's cooperation in the U.S.-led war on terrorism.
McCormack said the issue has been reached with Russian diplomats in Washington and in Moscow by U.S. Ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow.
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