Global Voices

English

The world is talking, are you listening?

2 comments

• valentine akishkin

  Valentine Akishkin
  Russian entrepreneur

  TIME TO AWAKE FROM TRANSATLANTIC ILLUSIONS

  Bolstered by the Bush administration the EU has been rigorously digging itself into series of ungovernable brisances. Two coloured revolutions in Georgia and the Ukraine sponsored and adorned by transatlantic unity have brought nothing but confusion. Bush’s spate to expand NATO by including these two subversive handcrafted “democracies” was premeditated as an instrument to vie “resurgent” Russia; the whole evasion being enshrouded behind a veil of “honorable” purposes.
  Not the least pertinacity was paid to either diagnose the consequences of hastily ushering these machinated political appendages into power or determine why the cheerleaders of these “democracies” so insistently sought entrance to NATO. In the first case the EU’s unscrupulous and unresisting demeanor, consecrated by US doggedness was humbly assumed by Saakashvili to be a blessing for his bloody swashbuckling assault of South Ossetia.
  At the same time, the EU bestowed itself the role of an innocent, sinless bystander, whereas EU stolidity and disregard multiplied by US pandering was the fuse that instigated Saakashvili’s intervention of South Ossetia.
  Today, Europe is facing its next self-pollinated Gordian knot based on the same quaint transatlantic doctrine, “Russia can never be right”. The present day “orange” political elite in the Ukraine; a regime that the Transatlantic Unity has so lovingly fostered has emerged with an “orange” interpretation of resolving financial problems. Apart from siphoning or bluntly saying sealing Russian gas, transatlantic fostering has brought Yushenko and his associates to the belief, similar to the case of Saakashvili, that there is no limit to unheeding maleficence as long as it implies harm on Russia. Blocking Russia gas supplies, crucial to Europe, found pardon in the “transatlantic agenda”, although it is only fair to say that the negative impact affected mainly on east European countries, some of which are not EU members, and others have little say in European affairs.

  Ukraine’s blocking gas supplies to Europe is only a consequence of today’s toothless European policy following up “transatlantic fraternity” stipulating that support to any regime be offered as long as it opposes Russia. What better way would there be to contend Russia other than surrounding it with a military block or by showing how vulnerable its gas supplies were. The US plan of finding an alternative route for gas to Europe is scoring points supported by the Ukraine’s disrupting gas supplies to Europe. Immediate Ukrainian interests fall in unison to US long term aspirations and explain how Yushenko with a popularity rating of 2 % dares to harass both Russia and the EU.
  Transatlantic patronizing of “colour” revolutions, the expansion of NATO or the installation of US anti rocket systems in Europe will not disgruntle “resurgent” Russia as it will at length backfire on Europe itself. Georgia has lost all hope of finding a way to integrate South Ossetia and Abkhazia and the Ukraine has become a territory of unpredictable political upheaval. The EU must understand that the time has come to put serious doubt on the Cold War reflexes that constitute today’s transatlantic agenda.

  # 17 January 2009, 16:01 pm

  Reply to this  
• ilias theofylaktos

  The recent crisis with the natural gas has shown once more the tragic political weakness of the European Union to intervene in the international scene, on its own benefit and with autonomy of choices. It’s just not possible that Europe cannot see what has been self-evident ie the fact that Russia has every reason to want to continue selling smoothly natural gas in Europe (especially today, where the fall in the price of oil brings down quite seriously its state revenues). Ukraine also has every reason to want to use Europe as a “shield” and as a tool of blackmail in order on the one hand to avoid paying the gas that it needs (or even not the whole amount) since it is on the verge of an economic breakdown and on the other hand to serve the American intentions for geopolitical encirclement and economic isolation of Russia. The recent agreement between Putin – Timoshenko, for the recovery of natural gas flow towards the West, is of course a positive step but not quite steady. There is always the danger of being subverted and cancelled by the intervention of the President of Ukraine, Yushenko, who is the main representative of the American policy in Kiev.

  Europe should cooperate with Russia and avert this process. Europe must take off the glasses of the “Cold War” era, it must become independent of the oppressive American shadow and see its relations with Russia in realistic terms ie, we are no longer enemies but partners. The strategic plans of Washington, at least with the Bush administration, are non-symmetric with the European Union’s interests: The United States want to “put their feet” in the Caucuses region and they are indifferent if the European households will be freezing. What has happened last summer in Caucasus with the war in South Ossetia, should not happen again. Europe, captive of its own prejudices of the past and of its transatlantic commitments, has not condemned the unprovoked assault of the Saakasvhili regime against piece forces and civilians and has chosen for its own the role of Pilate. If you want to see what has happened last year in Caucasus, visit the site http://www.whitebook2008.com. It is really interesting.

  # 24 January 2009, 9:21 am

  Reply to this  

Join the conversation