Russian roulette

Prof. Thomas Beyer told his students at the Middlebury College Russian School in the Cold War period that no matter how well they spoke Russian, they should use an interpreter when negotiating with their Soviet counterparts. Speaking Russian requires adopting a different mind-set, he said, and foreigners are at a disadvantage if they start thinking like the other side. The Iron Curtain is gone, but Jiří Hanák of Právo and others were nevertheless surprised that Václav Klaus chose to speak Russian this week with Vladimir Putin. Hanák said he doubts something similar could happen in Budapest or Warsaw. Klaus is a linguist, and he likes to show off, but Hanák suggested that Klaus was too eager to fall into Putin's arms. Prof. Beyer's wise advice is still valid today. Klaus's case of Russian roulette can't help but have a psychological effect on energy negotiations with the Kremlin. [Czech Republic Soviet Union USSR Hungary Poland foreign language]