ESTONIA
Analysts have lashed out at Russia for discrediting Estonia in a large-scale propaganda campaign. Policymakers are urging the formation of a government-run propaganda agency for stronger resistance to Moscow's ideological offensive.
"Why tolerate this all-round foolish criticism of Estonia? Several months ago we believed that there was no point in objecting to the Russian stupidities and that our diplomats would paint the true picture about Estonia and its people behind the scenes of world politics. But now we can now longer hope it will work. Our leaders should deal with this.... The Russians are humiliating us and lying in cold blood, and we have to counter their propaganda." (SL Ohtuleht, August 16).
The press describes the Russian media coverage of a two-day fishing trip by Vladimir Putin and Prince Albert II of Monaco as the "best PR action of all times." During fishing in the Yenisei River, photographers took pictures of Putin stripped to the waist.
"During his last year in office, Putin has been surrounded by the halo of God Almighty.... Prince Albert of Monaco did not catch much, while Putin again pulled out a few salmon. Jubilant, he decided to please the photographers by taking off his shirt. Compared to the frequently drunk and ailing Boris Yeltsin, Putin looked excellent. The president is in good shape and looks as a man with a grip of steel, who can fight against everything, including Western influence." (Postimees, August 18).
LATVIA
The press believes that the Sino-attended war games on Russian territory confirm Western fears about Moscow's intentions to transform the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) from an economic alliance into a military-political bloc.
"The SCO-West geopolitical confrontation is a fact. It has not yet acquired military-political dimensions; but if America tries to boost by force its influence in the SCO geopolitical space, the alliance is bound to turn into a military-political bloc. The military exercises launched near Chelyabinsk in parallel with the summit are a clear signal to the West." (Biznes & Baltiya, August 21).
Commentators are particularly concerned over the Kremlin's plans to use the SCO potential for reinforcing Russia's positions on the energy market. "The SCO aims at creating an Asian OPEC.... The West is worried about many aspects of its activities, but mostly about its bid to control energy resources. Effective military maneuvers are simply sidetracking the public's attention from more important issues." (Chas, August 20).
LITHUANIA
The press is surprised at Putin's calm reaction to the explosion, which derailed the Nevsky Express train (Moscow-St. Petersburg).
"For some reason, Russian President Vladimir Putin was not disturbed by this act of terror. Usually Putin is posing as a tough fighter against terrorism, but this time he seemed to be deliberately frivolous. Not only he did not stop his fun trip with Prince Albert II of Monaco in Siberia, he was also posing half-naked to the photographers and TV cameramen as a man on vacation." (Lietuvos rytas, August 16).
The press is criticizing Gazprom and its mediators for exerting growing influence on decision-making by the Lithuanian authorities. Journalists are linking the vague prospects of the Ignalina nuclear power plant with Gazprom's pressure on the republic's government.
"The Russian Gazprom is the least of all interested in a new nuclear power plant because once the old bloc [of the nuclear power plant] is closed, Lithuania will have to buy more gas from it, and in this way the gas monopoly will double its sales.... Isn't this foreign economic organization exerting influence on the Lithuanian government?" (Respublika, August 17).
BELARUS
Political scientists are accusing the Russian and Belarusian authorities of fanning-up anti-American attitudes in their countries.
"In Russia, dislike of America is the most popular subject. Many Russian political parties have adopted anti-Americanism as a certain [ideological] problem.... In this respect, official Belarus is not lagging behind Russia one bit - it is ready to go with anyone and anywhere on the anti-American road.... In recent times, both Russia and Belarus have been hugely irritated by the U.S. support for some pro-Western Ukrainian and Georgian forces. Both Moscow and Minsk see this as a direct threat to their regimes, because such support may be extended to adjacent territories. As a result, anti-Americanism has become all but official state ideology in our countries." (Telegraf, August 17).
UKRAINE
Some publications are linking the detonation on the Moscow-St. Petersburg railroad with the preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. They say that the militants have become more active because of the U.S. negative approach to holding the Olympic Games in China and Russia.
"We suppose the Americans and their allies will not boycott the Olympics.... But this is a clear signal to Beijing and to the even less friendly Moscow. They are being offered to be good guys in the pre-Olympic years - no international ventures, bloody special operations and crude onslaught against dissidents. The militants from the North Caucasus, these irreconcilable foes of the Putin regime, have taken nice of Washington's mood.... However, one gets the impression that the militants are deliberately missing the targets and, luckily, the human losses from their acts are relatively small." (Glavred, August 16).
MOLDOVA
Opposition parties are emphatically negative about the Russian-media quoted statement by political scientist Sergei Karaganov to the effect that the Russian military bases will remain in Transdnestr under the Moscow-Chisinau agreement.
"Karaganov is a mouthpiece for the Putin-led Kremlin administration. Karaganov has made public what Moscow and Chisinau were trying to conceal, notably that the so-called Transdnestr agreement provides for state federalization, preservation of the military arsenal and Russian occupational troops, and Moldova's return to the Russian orbit." (Flux, August 15).
ARMENIA
Journalists are convinced that it is not possible to establish partnership with Russia. Moscow will continue doing all it can to keep the republic isolated.
"Armenia's growing dependence on Moscow will increasingly weaken the Western attempts to neutralize Russian influence, not to mention stage a 'color revolution.' Russia stands to gain very much from Armenia's isolation and unilateral dependence on Moscow.... The Russian Federation does not have long-term integration programs for Armenia. The Kremlin is satisfied with the status-quo. If its ally tries to follow a different road, Moscow may create a conflict situation. In Armenia's case, this is obviously the outstanding issue of Nagorny Karabakh." (Iravunq, August 15).
GEORGIA
The media are emotionally reacting to the news that the Russian president awarded 12 citizens of South Ossetia with orders and medals for "contribution to the cultural and educational exchanges between nations." They are describing this move as yet another provocation against Georgia.
"Isn't Putin trying to achieve the recognition of the 'republic of South Ossetia' by a round-about way?" (Sakartvelos respublica, August 17).
"Putin himself is now orchestrating the escalation of tensions - before Russian generals or medium-rank politicians were doing the instigator job. Now that the whole world is watching Georgian-Russian confrontation, such actions are rather indicative and demand special attention. It appears that the situation has become so tense, that the Kremlin does not stop at anything." (Kviris Palitra, August 20).
AZERBAIJAN
The opposition press is openly blaming the Kremlin for support for nationalist groups.
"Fighting terrorists in the Caucasus, the Russian government fails to see them in the country's capital. According to this year's official statistics, 40 migrants have been killed in Russia by nationalist groups. The real figure is many times higher. But for some reason, the Russian national socialist party, which has become the Russian al-Qaeda, is not qualified as a terrorist group and its members are not arrested. To the contrary, the nationalists are enjoying the Russian government's patronage. There are grounds to consider the movement against illegal immigration a Kremlin-backed legal terrorist group." (Yeni Musavat, August 17).
KAZAKHSTAN
Analysts believe that the Afghan situation opens the SCO doors to Turkmenistan, which is an essential link in the Afghan security belt. At the same time, experts do not support the admission of other states into the SCO.
"The current SCO members do not want new problems in their space. Take for instance the potential membership of Pakistan and India. They have complicated relations, and the entry of one will automatically lead to the admission of the other in order to avoid regional imbalance. As a result, the SCO will receive the Kashmir problems and the South Asian knot. The same is true of Iran. Today, the SCO cannot afford to have its platform eroded, and for this reason it can accept Pakistan, Iran and India as observers in mid-term perspective." (Liter.kz, August 17).
TURKMENISTAN
Commentators are writing about the dominance of Russian investors at the Turkmen energy market and the weak American positions in the region.
"Moscow does not have the habit of mixing its proposals on energy cooperation to Ashgabat with complaints about the status of democracy and human rights in Turkmenistan.... Moscow is always willing to show due respect for Ashgabat. This helps it to be the first in reaching energy agreements with the Turkmen leadership." (Dogry Yol, August 17).
TAJIKISTAN
Journalists think that Uzbekistan's decision to rejoin the Collective Security Treaty Organization could dramatically change the geopolitical situation not only in Central Asia, but also in the whole post-Soviet space.
"The majority of experts and analysts hold this opinion. Tashkent is expected to take its place in the most powerful political and military organization in the CIS. With this move, Moscow will not only gain a new economic partner. Russia is also interested in Tashkent from a military and strategic point of view. Thus, Uzbekistan's presence in the organization guarantees that Russia will regain its military and political influence in Central Asia: four of five states in the region will be in the organization's sphere of influence. This will help Russia to play a more significant role in Central Asia than it has in recent years." (Millat, August 16).
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