ESTONIA
Acts of terror in London have made the media more interested in the Chechen theme. The press continues to present terrorist activities as guerilla struggle for the independence of the Republic. "President Putin relentlessly repeats that there is no war in Chechnya. But it is very hard to describe as terrorist a vigorous struggle against a regular army, especially considering the definitions of Oriental countries." (Eesti Pyaevaleht, July 20).
The press extensively quotes ex-Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov who accuses the Kremlin of exerting political pressure on its opponents. "A similar criminal case can be brought up against thousands of other officials and businessmen. But none has been started so far against anyone who is friendly to the Kremlin." (SL Ohtuleht, July 20).
The press describes Rodina's split into two State Duma factions of the same name as yet another step taken by the Kremlin in the context of election struggle. "Rogozin's weight as a runner in the presidential elections of 2008 is growing up. He's turning from the Kremlin's hand into a more and more independent politician with ambitions of a statesman." (Parnu Postimees, July 20).
LATVIA
The national media unanimously applauded a resolution of the U.S. Congress urging Russia to recognize the occupation of the Baltic republics. "The U.S. is the only superpower in the world. Russia listens to what America says. The occupation will not be recognized today. This can only be done by a democratic regime that does not exist in Russia." (Latvijas Avize, July 26).
Analyzing a report of the Russian President's envoy in the South Federal District Dmitry Kozak the media concludes that Moscow is unable to control the situation in the Northern Caucasus. "The fact that Dagestan is in the grip of terrorist Muslim groups points to the failure of Putin's policy in Chechnya. Russian President is where he was six years ago." (Daugavpils information portal, July 25).
The media continues writing that the confrontation between Russia and Latvia is being exploited by some forces for political gains. "Anti-Russian rhetorics will be used to attract nationalist-minded electors to the Ceym in October 2006." (Vesti-segodnya, July 26).
The press interpreted Putin's words about inadmissibility of funding political activity from abroad as a change in Russia's domestic political orientation. "It is obvious that the Kremlin has turned from so-called 'controlled democracy' to the idea of sovereign democracy that has emerged after a chain of velvet revolutions." (Gorod.Iv, July 21).
The charges of the General Prosecutor's Office against Mikhail Kasyanov continue to be qualified as yet another evidence of the Kremlin's resolve to use its administrative resource for fighting against the opposition. "There are persistent rumors that Kasyanov's troubles won't end with the privatization of the state dacha in Troitse-Lykovo. To believe the rumors, he has recently drawn the attention of the law-enforcement bodies on a different score: the cancellation of the bigger part of the Mongolian debt by Russia in late 2003. They say that a certain Czech company, acting as a go-between in this deal, was in direct contact with the Russian ex-Prime Minister." (Telegraph, July 26).
LITHUANIA
The media applauded a resolution of the U.S. Congress urging Russia to apologize for the occupation of the Baltic nations.
"Maybe Russia does not want to recognize the historical fact for fear that it may have to accept the demands of the formerly occupied countries to make for the occupational damage." (Respublika, July 23).
The Kaliningrad police have accused the Russian authorities of contacts with criminal groups. In a letter to the editor of the Lithuanian newspaper Respublika they draw attention to a photo published by Komsomolskaya Pravda in Kaliningrad on July 14. The photo depicts Putin, his French and German counterparts, and Oleg Shkil, a notorious gangster. "We believe that you and the Poles should be happy that your presidents were not invited to the jubilee celebrations in Kaliningrad and were not discredited." (Respublika, July 23).
UKRAINE
The media reports that having accepted Gazprom's terms for a gas settlement, Kiev has de facto acknowledged its defeat in the confrontation with Moscow. "The reached agreements mean that Ukraine not only pleads guilty of illegal seizure of Russian gas, but also intends to compensate the Russian side for this loss." (ForUm, July 20).
The media writes about lack of prospects for the current pattern of Russian-Ukrainian relations because Kiev is obviously unable to resist Moscow's imperial ambitions. "It seems surprising that the Ukrainians were freezing on the maidan in the hope their leaders would make a change for the better. Instead they are getting some childish gibberish, unsatisfied complexes, and injured self-esteem." (RUpor, July 21).
Criticism of the Yushchenko team does not prevent the press from talking about a crisis in Russia's home policy. "The Russian authorities are very weak, and are not sure whether they are able to keep the power and the confiscated property. Any indication of the lack of loyalty makes them panic. The Kremlin is working on different ways of keeping Putin in power, and is seeking to achieve absolute control over this process." (RUpor, July 21).
MOLDOVA
The pro-Romanian media have paid much attention to the adoption by Moldova's Parliament of a law on a special legal status for the inhabited areas on the Dniester's left bank. "From now on nobody will be able to make provocative proposals aimed at undermining the country's political system in favor of the separatist regime. If Russia or anyone else insist on the formation of a federation, or on the Transdnestr's right to secede, Chisinau will be in a position to reject all this as a violation of the current legislation". (Flux, July 26).
The press writes that Russia is trying to establish external control over Chisinau. "Russia is using its military presence on the Dniester left bank in order to control its right bank in a deliberate attempt to suspend a settlement in the Transdnestr area forever. Moscow is content about the situation, and therefore the Russians are coming up with certain projects in order to drag out a settlement, or to Transdnestr the rest of the country, which is tantamount to putting Chisinau under control." (Flux, July 26).
ARMENIA
The local press continues writing about Russia's bid to provoke inter-ethnic strife in Armenian settlements in Georgia. "This is a gain for those who are losing the region, that is, Moscow. It is no surprise that the Russian media is always happy to report and comment on such rumors." (Aravot, July 20).
The press has become more critical of Russia's role in the Karabakh settlement. "For many years the U.S. has been unable to persuade Turkey to stop the blockade of Armenia. In recent time Russia has started flirting with Turkey. We have heard repeated statements of the Russian co-chairman of the Minsk OSCE group, Yuri Merzlyakov about the need to involve Turkey in the process of the Karabakh settlement." (Yerkir, July 23).
The press writes that the recently adopted Kuban target program for harmonizing inter-ethnic relations and developing national cultures in 2005 has not been well thought out. "Speaking about the nations that can influence the ethnic and demographic situation in the region, the authors of the program mentioned, among others, the Hemshen Armenians (Muslims) whose number is estimated to be from 600 to 1,000 people. In the expert resume (made by the department of social, economic, and political problems of southern regions of the South Research Center at the Russian Academy of Sciences) also says that the text of the program... is not unequivocal: general appeals for harmonization are mixed with xenophobic-sounding assertions." (Yerkir, July 25).
GEORGIA
The main scandal of the week was triggered off by a statement of the Georgian Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili about GRU's involvement in acts of terror in Georgia. The press has become markedly anti-Russian in this context. "We hope that the Russian side will withdraw its agents who have been operating on our territory in large numbers. Russia is directly involved in Georgia's internal conflict." (Abkhazia.org, July 25).
Indicatively, experts are convinced that a political dialog with Russia on Abkhazia and South Ossetia is only possible as a tactical trick. "Apparently, we will not be able to change the mandate of the peacekeepers, and will have to reconcile ourselves to this force...We should take into account the growing anti-Russian attitudes in Abkhazia, and in South Ossetia, and we should work in this direction rather than against the Russian peacekeepers. If we strike against them, the Russians will instantly stage a provocation, compelling Ossetians and Abkhazians to take their side once again." (Resonansi, July 25).
Convinced in the political motives of Gazprom's claims to Georgia, the local media is positive in assessing Georgia's real or mythical achievements in getting rid of heavy energy dependence. "The Russian plans (to buy Georgia's main gas pipeline) have fallen through, but Georgia is prepared to face higher gas prices. There are reports that Georgia is negotiating additional gas purchases with Azerbaijan. (Akhali versia, July 25).
AZERBAIJAN
The media is mounting their criticism of the Putin-announced program for strengthening Russia's southern frontiers, especially in the regions bordering on Azerbaijan. The program is described as Moscow's yet another instrument for exerting political pressure on Baku and Tbilisi. "There are no direct accusations of Azerbaijan, but the facts are being presented to the audience in such a sequence and tone, and with such 'garnish' that no doubts are left on this score. In the context of the political changes in the countries of the Southern Caucasus, both Baku and Tbilisi have a serious reason for concern that Russia may exploit the Chechen factor to resort to pressure, like it has done more than once in the past." (Ekho, July 21).
The media attaches much importance to Russian-Turkish relations, an important topic for Azerbaijan. They put emphasis on Putin's decisive role in Russia's rapprochement with Turkey. "The Erdogan-Putin negotiations are important for Azerbaijan because they pay attention to the Karabakh problem. Erdogan expressed his content with Putin's attitude to this problem. It means that Russia is also interested in settling the conflict, and does not worry about Turkey's growing influence in the region. Azerbaijan stands to gain from these developments. In other words, Russia's recognition of Turkey as a partner rather than a rival, benefits Azerbaijan as well." (Khalq Gazeti, July 20).
KAZAKHSTAN
The media comes to the conclusion that Washington is primarily interested in creating "a sort of security cordon" for protecting its geopolitical interests rather than combating terrorism. "As a result of Washington's unwillingness to agree to partnership with the SCO countries in Central Asia for the sake of victory over terrorism, this region is becoming a battlefield in the struggle between the three major powers - the United States, Russia and China." (Nomad, July 21).
The "country cottage" case of Mikhail Kasyanov, Russia's ex-premier, was examined, primarily, in the context of the Kremlin's fight against the opposition. The media sympathized with the oppositioner this time. "Like in Khodorkovsky's case, criminal charges against Kasyanov have immediately grown into a political case. In the existing situation, such accusations could be leveled at any high-ranking government official or oligarch." (Karavan, July 22).
It is reported that Russia expressed no optimism about the memorandum on joint feasibility studies for the construction of the Trans-Kazakh railway signed by Kazakhstan and China. "Russians look at this project with misgivings. It is clear that the construction of the Trans-Kazakh railway will damage the Trans-Siberian (Transsib) railway's prospects, which will lose all the freight flow going to Central Asia... In this situation, Russia will only have to follow Kazakhstan's example and increase Transsib's transit potential.:" (Gazeta.kz, July 21).
KYRGYZSTAN
In unison with the government newsmakers, the media supports the multi-vector principle of the republic's foreign policy. "Central Asia has become an arena for US-Russian rivalry. What lies ahead are political battles for the redivision of the region by these powers. Kyrgyzstan must not be guided by Russia's interests, the interests of Kazakhstan, which is gaining in strength or those of some organizations of which it is a member. We must focus on Kyrgyzstan's own interests, above all." (Kyrgyz Rukhu, July 22).
Some media claim that Bishkek may lay aside its demands to step up the withdrawal of the US bases. "We are under strong pressure and we are forced, willing or not, to support statements on the curtailment of US military presence... However, statements are one thing and reality another. We shall do our best not to damage our relations with the United States," said an anonymous source." (Gazeta.KG, July 20).
A thesis has appeared in the information field on the need to maintain the parity of foreign military presence in Kyrgyzstan. "Should the need arise to withdraw foreign troops from Kyrgyzstan, the Russian military base in the city of Kant should be withdrawn simultaneously with the coalition forces, all the more so because the Russian side does not pay anything for the use of the republic's territory." (Gazeta.KG, July 25).
The electronic media offers a wide selection of materials from the Russian sources criticizing US military presence in Central Asia.
UZBEKISTAN
The opposition media explains the anti-American initiative of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) by the SCO countries' fear of the export of democracy. "It seems, the authoritarian leaders of Russia, China and Central Asian republics have managed to persuade themselves that the United States sponsored democratic revolutions in the countries of the former USSR in order to achieve its own strategic goals." (Musulmansky Uzbekistan, July 20).
Attempts are being made to represent modern Russia as a chief obstacle to the democratic development of post-Soviet states. A thesis has been put forward on the need to dismantle Russian statehood. "Russia cannot hope for its full-fledged integration into Europe...unless the Eurasian, transcontinental backbone of its statehood is dismantled and its territory reduced to its original historical size. It should also renounce all claims to any form of hegemony in the liberated territory." (Musulmansky Uzbekistan, July 22).
A sizeable portion of the information space is devoted to joint Uzbek-Russian projects. Some analysts warn against an overstated assessment of the Russian economy, in particular the bond market. "On the wave of euphoria, many investors ignore the risks characteristic of certain borrowers, which means that after a while Russia may be overwhelmed by a wave of corporate defaults." (Khamkor, July 21).
The media points out that the Russian-speaking population of Uzbekistan reacted differently to the new rules for crossing the Russian-Uzbek border. "An express poll among Tashkent residents has revealed the Russian-speaking citizens' misgivings that their relatives who have Russian citizenship but do not have foreign passports will not be able to visit them when they wish to do so." (Fergana. Ru, July 21).
TAJIKISTAN
The press points to the nebulous wording of the SCO declaration on the military contingent of the anti-terror coalition. "The wording of the SCO declaration calling on the participants in the anti-terror coalition to define the terms of their stay at bases in Central Asia is not at all tantamount to the demand for their immediate withdrawal. What is meant are the terms for maintaining such bases rather than their withdrawal." (Avesta, July 25).
The press suggests that one of RusAl's main objectives is to buy the Tajik aluminium plant in the near future. It is stated that to achieve this goal RusAl needs Tajikistan as much as Tajikistan needs RusAl. "Our colleagues see that the deal is close at hand: in about two years or even less, RusAl's 'marriage' to TadAz will probably take place... Even if love fades away, diamonds do stay! For Tajikistan, "these diamonds" are additional dozens of thousands of tons of aluminium, a huge number of new jobs and millions of dollars, which are so much needed to reduce poverty in the country. For Russia, these are sizeable revenues but no less important in the current globalization process is the rising prestige of RusAl as a transnational corporation." (Vecherny Dushanbe, July 22).
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