Defying the Whole World // Moscow ventures
to escalate the conflict with the West
Mikhail Zygar, Kommersant, Aug. 22, 2008
Yesterday Russia demonstrated that it is not going to compromise in its current confrontation with the West. NATO got a notification from the Russian Defense Ministry about complete termination of military cooperation with the alliance, and Russian military detained France’s Ambassador to Georgia at the entrance to Gori. Finally, the congresses of the Abkhaz and Ossetian people called on Russia to recognize the breakaway republics’ independence, and Russian Foreign Minister hinted that this appeal has been taken into account in Moscow. On Monday both chambers of the Russian parliament may take corresponding decisions. All day long the Russian authorities demonstrated that they are not going to defuse the tensions in the confrontation with the USA and the West in general, and that Moscow is not afraid of whatever sanctions. On the contrary, Russia responded to all the threats by following its line of escalating the conflict, that is reacting to the criticism related to the situation in Georgia as well as the USA and Poland’s signing the agreement for interceptors deployment.
Yesterday Russian Foreign Office Chief Sergey Lavrov censured NATO in connection with the latest meeting of the alliance’s Foreign Ministers, whose final statement reads, “We have determined that we cannot continue with business as usual.” “Russia’s help is critical to the alliance,” the Minister stated. “After the NATO meeting, where a document regarding the relations with Russia was adopted, the alliance’s representatives contacted the Russian party persuading us not to terminate the cooperation in Afghanistan.” Basing on this position, Sergey Lavrov issued an ultimatum to the North-Atlantic alliance suggesting that it should make a choice between Georgia and Russia, “If these priorities lead to complete support of Saakashvili’s bankrupt regime, and if breaking the relations with Russia is the price they are ready to pay – let it be.” Yesterday the Foreign Offices of Norway, Estonia and Latvia reported receiving the notifications from the Russian Defense Ministry saying that Moscow terminates military cooperation with NATO. Later NATO spokesperson Carmen Romero confirmed this information.
Sergey Lavrov reiterated that it is Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili who delivered a blow to his country’s territorial integrity. “We are not trying to stage it (the recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia by other states – Kommersant),” Sergey Lavrov argued. “We show respect for the members of the world community, and it’s not inherent in our political culture to organize staged demarches.” In fact it means that Russia is ready to recognize the breakaway republics alone. It appears even more probable taking account of the fact that the parliaments of both South Ossetia and Abkhazia adopted appeals to the Russian President about recognizing their independence on Wednesday. Yesterday the resolutions were sanctioned by the congresses of the Ossetian and Abkhaz peoples. Given that President Medvedev has stated on several occasions that Moscow will support whatever decisions of Sukhumi and Tskhinvali, it can mean that Russia is ready to recognize both republics. The State Duma and the Federation Council have scheduled emergency meetings for Monday, where they’ll consider the recognition. Sources with the Union of Russia and Belarus Office informed Kommersant that now different scenarios of Russia’s patronage of the two republics are studied. One of them envisages including Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the Union of Russia and Belarus. But to do it, it’s necessary that Minsk should recognize Sukhumi and Tskhinvali.
Sergey Lavrov also stated that Russia complies with the peace plan worked out by France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy. It need be reminded that, according to the document, Russia is to pull out its troops to South Ossetia being able to patrol temporarily in a strip of up to 6.2 miles, or 10 kilometers, outside. French and German diplomats, who’re trying to advocate Russia in the West, reported yesterday that Moscow promised to accomplish the withdrawal of its troops by Friday midnight. Yesterday the Russian party demonstrated that it doesn’t appreciate France and Germany’s intercession that much. French Ambassador to Georgia Eric Fournier was detained by Russian peace-keepers at the entrance to Gori. AFP reports that they prevented the diplomat from entering Gori during three hours. Giving his commentary regarding the matter, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Colonel General Anatoly Nogovitsyn said that it was the Ambassador’s fault because he should have informed the Russian military about his visit in advance. Mr Nogovitsyn added that OSCE Chairman and Finnish Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Stubb avoided such an incident yesterday because he had notified the Russian military of his visit to Gori in advance.
For all that, Russia has certain claims to the OSCE as well. Mr Nogovitsyn stated yesterday that the staff of the OSCE field mission had been warned of Georgia’s plans to invade Tskhinvali, but hadn’t told Russia’s peacekeepers about it. The accusation was denied by the organization’s spokesperson Mikhail Yevstafyev, “Neither the OSCE headquarters nor the OSCE mission Georgia had any information about the parties’ determination to use force. The OSCE mission in Tskhinvali functioned till we had to evacuate the staff, which was on August 8.” With its new demarche, Russia shows that it is not going to win over the governments and organizations which haven’t criticised it yet. Apparently, the USA has to respond with something. It has three days to do it – on Monday The State Duma and the Federation Council convene their sessions.
Niqnaq 