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Published online 2 September 2008 | Nature | doi:10.1038/455006a
Russia's international research ties under threat
Responses to Russia's military action in Georgia have implications for non-proliferation, space exploration, climate negotiation and the European Union's framework programme.
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The signals are clearly stating the aggressive nature of the neglected side. There are silly underestimation always for a passive side. And if it is science to suffer you may have to go back at least thirty years back. Well it is not a unipolar world now and poles have been shifting towards east! Dr.Priju Chunagth, India
I've known many scientists and engineers that worked under the Soviet's iron fist's thumb in their respective Warsaw Pact homelands. Without exception they say privately they were miserable. If they expressed misgivings about a direction research was taking the almost canned response from the leadership was if you won't do it we have no problem finding someone that will. In my own idealistic way I have hope that scientists are intelligent enough to rise up the political posture of their nations leaders. However in a day when most sources of funding are from the defense/military structure it is becoming more difficult. Sadly Russia was poised to become a full partner on the new international stage. Wisely with an eye to the future China and India have caught a glimpse of a future that will benefit all of civilzation. Russia's leadership seems to be looking backwards instead of being forward-thinking. The West should keep the doors open for international scientific cooperation. But let's be honest: Russia chooses to keep its scientists and their work isolated. David Deal,PhD,PhD USA
Cleaver Nature! A photo of the Russian president in a military base. Why did not put the US president or Georgian president in a military base too? More anti-Russian propaganda supported by Nature. Let's better talk about science, just science.
Let us consider the problem of Russian science possible isolation as another research problem. My research experience was 17 years before 1991 within the isolated research system and 17 years after 1991 in the quasi-open research system. Both systems have their weak and strong sides. To discuss all the issues and trends of Western - Russian research collaboration after August, 2008 it is desirable for all of us to calm down and maintain a scientific approach to the problem. Sergey Egerev, Moscow