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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

Berezovsky’s Mistake

13 November, 2012 - 00:00

Among the first steps made by Boris Berezovsky when appointed CIS Executive Secretary were his trips to Tbilisi and Sukhumi, for long talks with the Georgian and Abkhaz leaders, in an attempt to find the right modus vivendi and settle the old conflict. All this, of course, is good and fine.

Only Mr. Berezovsky had hardly taken off from Moscow when tragic events started in the Gali district, perhaps the most serious Georgian-Abkhazh confrontation recorded of late. Was it something he wished or planned? Not likely, for what he really wanted was to prove how quickly and effectively he could solve problems that had frustrated career politicians. However, he was confronted with a situation in which the good old I-scratch-your-back-and-you-scratch-mine procedure just did not work, leaving Mr. Berezovsky helpless, just like the politicians he hoped to outsmart.

Here a tremendous paradox of our times manifests itself: Russia’s oligarchs also turn out to be human. They make mistakes, and they fail to understand many things. And this incomprehension may prove fatal, especially when they begin to rule not only finance, auctions, but also human destinies. Especially in foreign countries. In the case with Mr. Berezovsky, what he must have regarded as yet another smart political maneuver turned into yet another tragedy for Georgia and Abkhazia, producing new refugees and victims. God forbid, I am not blaming the CIS Executive Secretary for this new conflict. One thing is certain, however: Mr. Berezovsky has been unable to prove that interethnic, intergovernmental relations are up his alley.

When recommending him for the post, President Kuchma told journalists that he was not afraid of Russian oligarchs. To the contrary, he would be happy to welcome them in Ukraine. There is little doubt that they will accept the invitation, but one is still wondering about what might happen should Mr. Berezovsky similarly miscalculate in his Ukrainian strategy.

Moscow

 

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