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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

ATTEMPTS ON A MIRAGE

17 March, 1998 - 00:00

For several days the news programs on almost all Russian television channels have led off with reports on the Russian-Latvian confrontation, new steps by Russian government against the neighboring country, and on possible consequences of the events that took place in Riga.

It all started with unauthorized picketing by pensioners at the office of the local self-government, provoked by the Latvian Panorama newspaper, which, back in Soviet times, had the proud name of Soviet Latvia. I will not comment on the actions by the Riga police; this is the topic for a separate research and comments. But it is difficult not to notice that Russia has used this situation to accuse Latvia and its government of nationalistic repression. The mother tongue of the pensioners was Russian — somehow this is the main thing — had they spoken Latvian one assumed Russia would have admitted that the police could use their nightsticks freely. Besides, no one in Moscow mentioned what language Latvian police officers speak. The State Duma deputies would have been amazed to find out how many Russian speakers there are in the Latvian police.

When a deputy representing Zhirinovsky's party called Latvia a fascist country, this could be blamed on the general chauvinistic majority of the deputies. When Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin showed disrespect to his Latvian colleague Huntars Krasts and threatened Latvia at a press conference, it was rather strange, but could be still blamed on the Premier's emotions. But after this press-conference Russian government representative Igor Abdurasulov called this emotional breakdown an official announcement, Presidential press secretary Sergei Yastrzhembsky reported the next day that the Russian government was preparing an action program against Latvia and OTR news began with "another anti-Russian provocation in Latvia — vandalism at a war cemetery." People start asking what is really going on?

And the answer is that it all started in Kyiv, during the visit of Latvian Prime Minister to Ukraine: Krasts debated with Ukrainian state officials an alternative to Russian Gazprom. Then Chernomyrdin's emotions (for he is known as the Prime Minister from Gazprom) become understandable along with other things.

But there is something I still do not understand, what reasons will Russia find against the Baltic states joining NATO, if any incident, be it concerning natural gas or human rights, causes such a reaction in Russian officials. What kind of Russian safety guarantee can we be talking about, when threats have already been made? What mirages of empire drives the Kremlin to speak like that to neighbors? And how long should we wait for the same reaction against Ukraine, since Krasts discussed gas problems with President Kuchma.

 

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