Anger mounting as Wikileaks names world figures
There has been a slow anger building in countries where secrets have been revealed on the Wikileaks Web site.
In one of the most recent postings WikiLeaks has revealed how the US views some world leaders, including Russian prime minister, Vladimir Putin.
The blunt and unflattering view of Putin was contained in revelations, apparently originating from the US embassy in Moscow, that Russia is considered to be a virtual Mafia state.
Mr Putin has played down the impact of the leaks, which suggested the Kremlin works hand in hand with organised crime.
The cable also refers to Moscow as a "kleptocracy" with the Kremlin and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at the centre.
Putin told a CNN reporter: "Some experts think that someone is trying to inflate the image of WikiLeaks, to give this internet site more importance in order to use it later for political purposes. If that’s not the case, then I believe that diplomatic services should pay more attention to their documents."
He said the United States should not interfere in Russia's internal affairs.
Documents also contain diplomatic allegations of a close relationship between Italian President Silvio Berlusconi and Mr Putin.
The website published papers earlier this week that referred to the Italian prime minister as the "mouthpiece" of Mr. Putin.
The latest cables also reveal that an exception was made in Britain to an international treaty in which it allegedly allowed the US to temporarily store cluster bombs on British territory.
A foreign ministry spokesman has denied the claims, saying the ministry did not keep the information from parliament.
Australia is now bracing for its turn in the publication of about 1,500 WikiLeaks documents.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has already condemned the release of the US diplomatic cables, as irresponsible and illegal.
WikiLeaks has already published thousands of classified documents this week.
Source: Europe News.Net
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