- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

The CIS and Baltic press on Russia

Subscribe

 

ESTONIA

The local media provided broad coverage to the unconditional support of Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski for Estonia's stand on the border with Russia and his call for "elaborating a common eastern policy" as regards its political and economic aspects.

It also published information about the reaction of the Russian Foreign Ministry to Kwasniewski's statements. "The Polish leader expressed support for the possible territorial claims of the Tallinn authorities to Russia." (From the statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry. Delfi, July 7)

Another issue covered by the republican media was the PACE resolution of a fortnight ago denouncing the "occupation" of the Baltic states by the Soviet Union and demanding that Russia should compensate for it.

The publication of the annual report by the Estonian Security Police Board (KAPO) provoked a growing number of articles about the increasingly hostile actions of the Russian security services and authorities. "The attempts are made increasingly often in Russia to recruit Estonian citizens - state officials, businessmen and students. According to KAPO, the recruitment methods include blackmail and physical pressure." (Delfi, July 8)

The electronic media carried sharp criticism of the Russian policy of assistance to the Russian-language diaspora in the Baltic countries. "The meal of the day called 'assistance to compatriots' on the State Duma menu has turned into a gray and badly-smelling sturgeon." (Delfi, July 12)

LATVIA

The dominant subject this week was the border treaty. The media suggest that Russia is trying to avoid political interaction by spotlighting economic cooperation. "We have received no offers from Russia. Putin's statement [on readiness to continue to discuss the border treaty] is probably an attempt to pose as a reasonable leader who can control his emotions." (Latvijas Avize, July 7)

Relations between the European Union and Russia are interpreted as "energy dependence." "Europe should start fighting the intoxicating effect of Russian gas and oil... The EU's dependence on a country, which the European politicians customarily view as an object for lecturing and criticism in the past ten years, is growing rapidly." (Biznes & Baltija, July 8)

Russia's decision to increase gas prices for the Baltic states, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine is viewed as a purely political choice. "We can understand the economic arguments of our partners, but we are not ready to solve economic problems amidst political ado... Russian politicians say they are protecting Russian speakers. But how will the growth of prices affect the interests of their clients?" (Diena, July 7)

LITHUANIA

The possibility of Gazrpom's acquisition of a controlling stake in the oil refinery Maizeikiu Nafta was one of the key issues this week. It was highlighted by the conservative opposition in parliament, whose leader, Andrius Kubilius, threatened Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas with impeachment if Gazprom got what it wanted. (Respublika, June 12)

The media continues to harp on the scandal with Agriculture Minister Kazimira Prunskene, who went to Kaliningrad for the 750th anniversary celebrations without the permission of the Lithuanian authorities. Information about her most often mentions the fact that she had accepted the title of "a Russian princess" and the rumor, refuted in court several years ago, that she was a KGB agent known as Satrija. "The Russians invited Satrija, who posed as the agriculture minister and returned as a princess and started telling the Lithuanian president how to conduct international affairs." (Lietuvos rytas, June 8)

The Lithuanian media interpreted the case opened by the Russian Office of the Prosecutor General against former premier Mikhail Kasyanov as another political campaign of the Kremlin against possible candidates in the struggle for power. "The reason is ridiculous for Russia: it is alleged that he used illegal methods to privatize a land plot of 11 hectares with a state dacha. Since when have State Duma deputies become interested in such trifles? But the ex-premier decided to run for the presidency and started criticizing the Kremlin, which is a punishable offense." (Litovskaya Narodnaya Gazeta, July 11)

UKRAINE

The media decribed Vladimir Putin's statement at a press conference on the results of the G8 summit in Scotland, where he accused Ukraine of stealing Russian gas, as a strong move in the gas conflict. "It was said to the EU and U.S. quarters in order to put in question Ukraine's other energy initiatives. The goal is most probably to sow doubt among Ukrainian partners; it proceeds from the street lingo he used, 'heist.'" (Rupor, July 11) "When Putin made his statements, Ukraine lost the chance to become the first to seek the assistance of a third European country in establishing the objective reason for the disappearance of 8 billion cubic meters of gas. Russia became the first to complain about the 'heisting' Ukrainians." (Rupor, July 11)

Criticism of the government's actions promoted the media to write about a crisis in the Ukrainian authorities, which proved useless in the fuel and energy dispute and with regard to the issue of WTO accession. "The inability (or is it unwillingness?) to maintain a meaningful dialog is the hallmark of the current authorities." (ForUm, July 11) "Ukraine's accession to the WTO in these conditions actually precludes the creation of a Common Economic Space involving Ukraine and Russia. Our clouded relations with Russia risk deteriorating still more." (Ukrainskaya Pravda, July 8)

MOLDOVA

The OSCE's disregard for amendments to the draft resolution on Moldova is viewed here as the beginning of Russia's pressure on the republic to surrender its leading role in the Transdniestria settlement. "Moscow is not exactly trying to snatch Bessarabia, but it needs a separatist region at any cost. Since Transdniestria [the self-proclaimed republic in Moldova with a predominantly Russian speaking population] is not for sale, Russia is trying to take it over through the liquidation of Moldova." (Flux, July 12)

The actions of Russian citizens Murzayev and Zubach in Moldova were used as a pretext for accusing Russia of organizing a spy ring in the republic. "Moscow has created a veritable spy and information subversions base here for destabilizing the situation and supporting pro-Russian elements to the detriment of pro-Western forces. Russia wants to wreak political and economic chaos in Moldova." (Flux, July 12)

The media reprint information from Western sources, which write about the curtailment of democratic reforms in Russia. "The Russian leader is quietly reconstructing Russia by curtailing the post-Soviet democratic reforms, tightening Kremlin's control over the vast country, and trying to win authority in the world with reliance not on the combat power of the Red Army but on the oil and gas resources." (PRESS Obozreniye, July 7)

ARMENIA

The forthcoming U.S. Senate debates on the volume of assistance to Armenia encouraged the media to write about the "confrontation" of Russia and the U.S. in the struggle for influence in Armenia. "The growing Moscow-Washington confrontation can put Yerevan in a tight spot. But this was to be expected: Only charity organizations provide disinterested assistance." (PanARMENIAN.Net, July 7)

The media fears that Armenia can complicate its position by accepting American financial assistance.

Some experts note that Russia, which supports the ruling regime, is serving its own interests in Armenia. "This will allow Russia to preserve its dominant stand in southern Caucasus, but this is not in the interests of Armenia." (Aikakan Zhamanak, July 6)

Information about Armenia's foreign trade published last week encouraged the media to write about the priority importance of partnership with Russia. "Russia became Armenia's biggest trade partner in 2004." (Aiastani Anrapetutyun, July 6)

GEORGIA

While Georgia, Russia and Abkhazia discussed the restoration of railway communication between Georgia and Russia via Abkhazia in Tbilisi, the local media reported and discussed the event. "Protest actions are to be held in Tbilisi soon against the possible opening of the throughput railway communication across the self-proclaimed republic of Abkhazia, which would link Russia with southern Caucasus states and Iran." (Abkhazia.org, July 7)

Analysts are convinced that Gazprom's decision to raise gas prices is politically lined. "Russia is trying to demonstrate its might to the pro-Western states again and to remind them that their energy supply depends on its goodwill." (Akhali Versiya, July 7)

The media again blamed Russia for the failure to ensure a peaceful settlement of the Georgia-Ossetia conflict. "There is no hope that the Tskhinvali authorities will accept our peace proposals, assume a positive stand and agree to talk, because they are fully controlled by Russia." (Akhali Taoba, July 12)

AZERBAIJAN

A criminal investigation of former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov received a negative response from the mass media. "This is a contract case and was started because of Kasyanov's intention to run in the upcoming presidential elections." (Eni Musavat, July 12)

The explosion of a gas pipeline in Dagestan caused an uproar because of growing apprehensions that terrorism that has been recently enveloping Dagestan may spill to neighboring Azerbaijan and threaten the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan gas pipeline. "The flywheel of terror continues accelerating, and this is taking place not only in the North-South transportation corridor but also in the direct proximity of the East-West corridor and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan gas pipeline. This fact gives the nations of southern Caucasus a moral right to appeal to the international community for help in countering the threat of instability that is emanating from Russian territory." (Echo, July 9)

The mass media qualified the Duma's address to Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov to consider bringing gas prices to world level for Baltic republics, Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine as an attempt to exert political pressure on "disobedient" nations. (Echo, July 9)

KAZAKHSTAN

The mass media extensively covered the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO brings together Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Belorus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan). "The SCO can become for the North Atlantic Alliance a very tangible and specific enemy, against which it will need its nuclear weapons, millions of officers and men, hundreds of thousands of missiles and artillery weapons, tens of thousands of tanks and armored vehicles, thousands of aircraft and hundreds of warships... The declaration of the leaders of SCO nations, that was somewhat alleviated by a 'source' in the Russian delegation ('this is not an ultimatum') may be qualified as the first signal to Washington. The declaration urges the U.S. and NATO to clarify a timeframe for the temporary use of the military infrastructure, and for the presence of American and NATO military contingents on the territory of some of SCO member-states." (Nomad, July 6)

The SCO summit in Astana confirms the importance of Kazakhstan's position in anti-terrorist struggle, and attests once again to its growing prestige in the world. "Kazakhstan, that has not seen civil war horrors and social chaos, possesses boundless peacemaking potential." (Kazakhstanskaya Pravda, July 7)

KYRGYZSTAN

In the wake of the presidential elections the media are trying to find out what prospects Kyrgyzstan may have. Emphasis on Russian priorities in Kyrgyz foreign policy strategy was placed at the meeting of Kurmanbek Bakiyev with Vladimir Rushailo, head of the CIS observation mission. "Russia has always been our strategic ally, and now we should upgrade our economic cooperation. Once a state copes with its economic problems it will solve its other problems as well." (Kabar, July 11)

The mass media closely followed the SCO summit in Astana. There are many materials covering its decisions. Some media point to the anti-American tinge of some of the clauses of its final declaration. "On the whole, the adopted declaration emphasizing the need to preserve different principles of organizing social life, different civilizations, and different approaches, is discreetly anti-American." (Official site of the Ar Namys Party, July 7)

Kyrgyz Acting Foreign Minister Roza Otunbayeva is quoted as saying about the declaration: "There is time to leave for everyone who comes on someone else's land. This is the only reason why we, SCO members, raised all together the question of clarifying the timeframes." (Zhany Kylym, July 8)

UZBEKISTAN

Some electronic media pointed to the anti-American flavor of the final declaration of the recent SCO summit in Astana, and expressed doubts in the efficiency of its decisions as a whole. Some media are confident that Russia is behind most of anti-American statements in the final declaration, and that the SCO resolutions are directly aimed at ousting the West from the region. "How can the West fail to understand that the Big Tandem has established itself on the sly in the world arena, which may soon turn into a Threesome, if China and Russia are joined by Uzbekistan, and then into a Foursome if North Korea comes in, too." (Muslim Uzbekistan, July 9)

The media point with alarm that Russian-Uzbek rapprochement spells the beginning of a cold war in the region. "The SCO declaration is a major political provocation with far-reaching consequences. It signals the start of a new cold war. Some of its clauses undermine the foundations of the UN." (Muslim Uzbekistan, July 9) "This is a regional repetition of a cold war. Central Asia is becoming the venue of a Russian version of the Carribean crisis." (Uzland-uz, July 11)

Support for Islam Karimov is being interpreted as Vladimir Putin's diversion maneuver, and an important part of the PR effort to improve the political image of the Russian president. "Putin needs a cold war against the West and America. He needs a time-tested national idea of fighting against the hostile world around Russia. This task is urgent because his approval rating in Russia has been steadily going down. The Russian media report that a mere 38% of those polled trust him." (Muslim Uzbekistan, July 9)

TAJIKISTAN

The media see the SOC summit's appeal to the anti-terrorist coalition to clarify the timeframe for the presence of the military contingent in Asia as the "resolve of the member-countries to assume much more responsibility for curtailing the threats to their stability." (Asia-Plus, July 7)

The press reports that Uzbekistan will now allow Russia to deploy troops on its territory if the situation in Central Asia becomes destabilized. The agreements produced by the visit of Uzbek President Islam Karimov to Moscow are qualified as Uzbekistan's final decision to change its foreign policy orientation and to turn to Russia.

At the same time the press covers Washington's attitude to this change in Uzbek foreign policy orientation. "The House of Representatives of the U.S. Congress has removed Uzbekistan from the American program for overseas military funding. A draft bill was backed by 393 Congressmen with 32 voting against. From now on, Tashkent will have to primarily rely on Moscow's economic and military assistance." (Asia-Plus, July 7)

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала