Russia and Eastern Europe News Digest
Putin Summons Ambassadorial Corps
Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed all of Russia's foreign ambassadors July 12, in the first such gathering since Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachov and Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze convened one in 1986.
Putin reviewed those foreign policy areas which he considers "strategic and key." He started with "the serious, long-term task of counteracting terrorism," as a central theme of Russia's relations with the other members of the UN Security Council ("the UN remains the key organization for this type of question"), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
The Russian President then briefly discussed relations with the United States: "Russia and the USA, beyond a doubt, bear special responsibility for strengthening global security. Therefore, it is important to know that our relations today are based on a new reading of the national interests of our two countries, as well as a similar view of the nature of world threats today. I shall stress again, that a trust-based partnership between Russia and the USA is in the interests not only of our peoples. It exerts a positive influence on the entire system of international relations, and therefore, unquestionably, remains one of our priorities."
Turning to Europe, Putin noted the "unprecedented activity of Russia" in Europe recently. Traditional security and trade relations have been augmented by "long-term energy cooperation, and projects in the area of high technology and innovation." He told the diplomats "not to forget, that Russia's main task here is direct participation in the formation of a single economic space."
In discussing the CIS, Putin stressed "security, and economic and humanitarian cooperation in Eurasia." The CIS, he said, "should not only actively influence, but should assume responsibility for solving a broad array of problems in this enormous regional space."
Concluding this part of his speech, Putin stressed "another matter of principle: whether or not Russia's foreign policy remains global in scope. I know that such questions are often raised. Of course it does. Not only because of our military or economic power, but because of geography. We are present both in Europe and in Asia, in the North and in the South. Naturally, we have our [global] interests; how could it be otherwise? But for this, Russian partners should be sought everywherein Europe, in Asia, in Africa, in Latin America. These should be partners, however, who both consider and recognize our national interests."
The section of Putin's presentation which then followed, focussed on the economic side of foreign policy. He made no mention of the current world economic crisis, but noted that "many today see Russia not only as an ally and business partner, but also as a growing economic rival." He called for protecting Russian producers against discrimination, as Russia enters the World Trade Organization.
Ivanov: China and India 'Just as Important'
President Putin's July 12 speech to Russian diplomats was analyzed in Asian publications, notably in India, as marking a decisive turn away from Eurasia, toward partnership with the Bush Administration (in part, by omission of extended discussion of Asiajust as in 2001, in his State of the Federation message, Putin uttered not one word about the United States).
Sensitive to these and other criticisms, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said, at the outset of a July 14 interview with RTR television, two days after Putin's presentation: "Russia's foreign policy has a global character and, let us say, for us, our relations with China or with India are of no less significance, or they have the same significance as relations with Europe, say, with the European Union, or with the United States. That is why we will develop relations everywhere it meets our interests."
Concerns about Russia's foreign policy had been voiced to Ivanov in an earlier interview, a tour d'horizon on the front page of Izvestia July 10, when Ivanov was confronted with the interviewer's assertion that "some 90% of the so-called elite considers the current foreign policy to be ruinous for Russia. Supposedly, we have lost everything, and gained nothing in exchange." Ivanov responded, somewhat defensively, "I don't know who you consider among the critically inclined elite, but in my opinion, over the past few years, uniting various political forces around the President's line in foreign policy has been a success. Criticism will exist forever. Most important is that foreign policy shouldn't cause a split inside the country."
Rushailo, in China, Discusses Strategic Relations
In a top-level diplomatic visit to China July 15-20, Russian Security Council Secretary Vladimir Rushailo met Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen, who emphasized the two sides' "wide-ranging common interests in security," and called for "constant contact and consultations in this regard." Qian said China called for strengthening cooperation between the SCO and the CIS, to deal with terrorism. Rushailo is also meeting with President Jiang Zemin, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, and Defense Minister Chi Haotian.
Pravda.ru July 15 said the two sides would be discussing "issues of international security and strategic stability in the world." Respecting relations among Russia, China, and India, Rushailo's deputy Oleg Chernov added, "During the visit, another issue under consideration will be continuing work on supplementing the three countries' political collaboration by carrying out cooperation among public organizations."
Izvestia wrote on July 16, "The first half of the year in Russia's foreign policy was Euro-American. the second will be Asiatic, with special emphasis on China and India." Rushailo's deputy Oleg Chernov said that one of the key points of discussion in Beijing would be the consequences of the U.S. pullout from the ABM Treaty. Izvestia also stated that the two sides would discuss problems related to the U.S. military presence in Central Asia. It is noteworthy that the Security Council delegation was joined by former Defense Minister Marshal Igor Sergeyev.
On July 16, as the Rushailo trip was going on, the Presidents of China and Russia exchanged congratulations on the first anniversary of the two sides' "Good Neighbor Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation."
Another recent Russian visitor to Beijing was Atomic Energy Minister Rumyantsev, who, in a July 8 press conference, detailed the upgrading of Russian-Chinese cooperation in nuclear-energy development. Rumyantsev was also preparing the agenda for Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov's visit to Beijing at the end of August.
Primakov Calls for Palestinian State, 'Now!'
Former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov called for the "imposition" of a Palestinian state now, "exactly as was imposed by Israel on the world community in 1948," Gulf News online reported July 15. Primakov, speaking in London at a symposium on the Middle East, also said that it is a "grave and dangerous mistake" to plan any strike against Iraq. He said that the only way to reach a final settlement of the Miseast conflict, would be for the so-called "Quartet Committee," the UN, U.S., EU, and Russia, "to declare the imposition of a full Palestinian state rather than waiting for three years as envisaged in President Bush's plan."
On the plan to attack Iraq, Primakov said: "It is much more dangerous for a political settlement in the Mideast; if the U.S. launches a strike on Iraq or any such countries of what they call the 'axis of evil,' then the situation would deteriorate quite sharply and the peace process would simply stop."
A leading authority on the Mideast, Primakov said he does not believe that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will ever accept a full independent state for the Palestinians. "Let us face it, and we must be blunt: Sharon has spent his entire political life not only objecting to such a project, but also creating obstacles for it in order that it will never happen," Primakov was quoted as saying. "We must understand that Sharon's policy is against peace, because it is against the creation of a Palestinian state. All his life and career is proof of this. He demonstrated this when he was a Minister of Agriculture. He said then, that a Palestinian state already existed in Jordan. Now Sharon has a modified plan whereby he is prepared to give back about 42% of the territories in the West Bank to the Palestinians, who could create some kind of autonomy to be joined with Jordan as the future Palestinian state later," Primakov said.
Primakov said he prefers a "comprehensive settlement to the Mideast conflict, that would include Syria and Lebanon and not the Palestinians alone," as the only way to "guarantee permanent peace and security."
Oligarchs Panic Over LaRouche Influence Among Macedonia Leaders
In the Macedonian daily Dnevnik of July 16, Lyndon LaRouche was accused by a notorious oligarchic agent, of being a key intellectual influence behind Macedonian government leaders.
In the article, former Foreign and Interior Minister Ljubomir Frckoski penned a slanderous attack against the country's leaders: "Their favorite literature is LaRouche, Jew's conspiracies, and conspiracies by new military 'analysts' and similar losers," writes Frckovski. "This is a lumpen-literary tradition that never lacked clients, stupid and greedy at the same time."
Frckovski seems to run a small group of pseudo-intellectuals grouped around the pretentious Forum magazine, which is a constant source of ridicule in Skopje, the capital, where it has been observed that virtually every single operative for the many Anglo-American NGOsset up to undermine Macedonia's national sovereignty over the last yearis borrowed from Frckoskj's Forum. This includes the Soros organizations, IWPR, Transparency International, Transfuse and so on.
With this background, Frckovski is engaged in an electoral campaigngeneral elections take place Sept. 15against Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski and his allies, accusing them in particular of believing in "conspiracy theories" mediated by LaRouche.
This is apparently the first public slander in Macedonia against LaRouche, who has become well known, not only among the elites, but also among many citizens.
On June 8, Forum published an attack against EIR's Umberto Pascali, a collaborator of LaRouche, written by the editor, Guner Ismail. Pascali and the TV journalist Slobodan Tomic were accused, without any evidence, of having helped the Prime Minister to write a major parliamentary speech that led, for the first time, to a joint "national-unity style" vote of government and opposition parties. Reported Forum: "Ljubco Georgievski [the Prime Minister] in his own style was speaking nonsense from his Parliament post, the points from his speech were probably prepared by Pascali-Tomic."
Siberian River Project Proposed To Relieve Water Crisis
Due to the ongoing water crisis in Uzbekistan, a proposal to divert water from Russia's Siberian rivers to Central Asia is being revived. The proposal for the project had been raised in 2001 by officials from Uzbekistan and Russia, and was also discussed at a conference in Tashkent.
Since the Soviet Union broke up in 1992, the nations of Central Asia have been arguing over deployment of water resources. Various energy-for-water agreements have been reached, but, because of civil war in some areas, especially in Kyrgyzstan, and thanks to privatization, and the breakdown of irrigation and other infrastructure, the agreements have not been productive. On top of this, there have been three years of severe drought. The countries remain dependent on cotton, which requires heavy irrigation, for export earnings. A new problem could arise if Afghanistan were to start taking its share of water from the Amu Darya (Oxus) system.
The proposal to divert a small (5%-10%) part of the flow of the huge Ob and Irtysh Rivers in Siberia, to the Amu Darya and Syr Darya Rivers in Central Asia, by constructing a 2,000-kilometer Siberia-Central Asia Canal, had been made by Joseph Stalin. A "blueprint" was developed in the 1980s, although there was a lot of internal Soviet opposition.
Due to water shortages, rice and cotton crops have been cut drastically. "This project is of great importance not only for Uzbekistan but also for other countries in the region of Central Asia," said Uzbekistan First Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources Abdurakhim Jalalov.
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