The American media outlets are starring in the wide-scale information campaign aimed at discredit of Russia. A leading role in exacerbation of the hostile attitude to Russia today is of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who assails our country with sharp criticism trying to convince the world public that Russia becomes “more and more authoritarian domestically and paranoid aggressive abroad”. The angry words of Rice confirm that the relations between Washington and Moscow have reached the lowest point since the day of the USSR collapse.
Another hawk of the anti-Russian American policy US Vice-President Dick Cheney does not lag behind. Addressing the leaders of European countries in the Italian town of Ambrozetti he called his allies to consolidate the stand and bear common responsibility in view of “the aggressive actions” of Russia made lately. Speaking about the actions, which are the most painful to the West, D. Cheney referred to the recognition of independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by Russia, use of energy resources as an instrument of political pressure on neighboring countries and Russia’s opposition to membership of Ukraine and Georgia in NATO.
Georgian mass media distributed news that the United States elaborates plans to recognize Chchnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia by Washington as independent states in response to the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by Moscow. Then allegedly the recognition of Karelia, Adygeya, Altay, Buryatia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Kalmykia, Karachayevo-Cherkessia, Komi, Mari El, Mordovia, North Ossetia, Tatarstan, Tuva, Udmurtia, Khakassia and Chuvashiya will follow. In so doing, it is planned that these “countries recognized by the USA” will be led by their governments in exile residing somewhere in the West. It means that the West eelaborates a plan of Russia’s partition into small countries.
Making the information assault against Russia, European mass media distribute various statements similar to that made recently by David Clark, ex-Adviser of the British Cabinet and Head of Foundation “Russia”: “Returning to the foreign policy basing on the military power, policy of force and imposition of spheres of influence on Eastern Europe, Russia poses a real threat to those values that underlie the today’s European system of countries”.
Publications on the results of various public surveys are designed to prove that the number of Europeans concerned over the Russia’s conduct towards its neighbors is growing. For example, the results of the survey conducted by Hurris Interactive in Great Britain, France, Italy, Spain and Germany at the request of The Financial Times show that the number of people who consider that Russia is the most dangerous state worldwide that poses the graver threat to the world than Iran and North Korea has increased versus July 2008 from 2 up to 18 per cent.
In this context the US House of Representatives adopted a resolution, which states that due to the forceful actions of Russia the USA should lead the efforts to provide the NATO Membership Action Plan to Ukraine “as soon as possible” for further Ukraine joining the Alliance. The document emphasizes:”The Russian aggression against Georgia poses a threat to the territorial integrity and independence of the neighboring states in the region”.
The information pressure has been increased on Russia in other directions too. On September 16, the US Senate approved a resolution that Russia should recognize that the Soviet occupation of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia was illegal. Supported by the USA the nationalist leaders in the Baltic countries speculate about “the Soviet occupation” and call the people today to be prepared to “a new Russian occupation”. It is especially indicative for Lithuania where the right-wing parties on the eve of the parliamentary election on October 12 warn electors against the loss of independence if the pro-Russian forces win the election. According to the conservative parties these forces include all other parties but them. They shout that the power in Lithuania will be captured by the Kremlin on the day of the election by means of “its pocket parties”. According to Lithuanian right-wing leader V. Landsbergis, “Russia will not need to attack Lithuania – it is not practical to spend money on military occupation if they manage with economic, information and corruption occupation”.
After the statement made by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that Russia has the right to defend its citizens and its business-interests abroad Lithuania is also concerned with a threat to this republic posed by the investments of the Russian capital in the economy of Lithuania. Andrus Kubilus, leader of party Union of Fatherland – Christian Democrats of Lithuania, said that “until recently we believed that a military aggression against Lithuania is unlikely. Now we have to do away with these illusions”.
Latvia also included Russia in the list of threats to its national security. According to a report of the Latvian Security Council , “Russia poses an economic rather that military threat because it uses its energy resources as an instrument of influence”.
World mass media focus on the Russian threat to the Baltic countries and need of their defense against a possible aggression. Frederick Kagan, an American military strategist and analyst (an author of the US strategy in Iraq), urged NATO to increase its presence in the Baltic countries to better protect them against Russia and prevent the repeat of the Georgian events. According to Kagan, the West must prevent Russia from becoming an intolerant and aggressive Imperial state.
The information offensive against Russia is in progress. However it fails to achieve its objectives. As it happens there are enough sober-minded people in America and Europe who understand the harmfulness of the policy pursued by the White House. The most important is that any international isolation of Russia is out the question. Meanwhile it was a goal of the American hawks.
President of the 63rd Session of the UN General Assembly Miguel D’Escoto Brockmann claimed on September 16 that “ having invaded South Ossetia Georgia made an act of aggression and violated the UN Charter”.
The countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) supported the role of Russia in promotion of peace and cooperation in the region and welcomed the approval of the 6-item plan for resolution of conflict in South Ossetia.
The European parliament adopted a resolution that imposes responsibility for the military attack against South Ossetia on Tbilisi. The Members of the European Parliament denied all amendments that required severe “punitive” measures and isolation of Russia.
According to the Der Spiegel Weekly, the OCSE observers who visited the Caucasus make conclusions in their reports that Georgia intensively prepared this military invasion of South Ossetia, and the attack was launched before Russian tanks passed through the Roki Tunnel. They also speak about war crimes committed by Georgian militaries in the territory of South Ossetia, which should entail criminal liability.
The European unity has been lost on the Caucasus Ridge. At an extraordinary EU summit its participants limited themselves only with the traditional criticism of Moscow, meanwhile representatives of Great Britain, Sweden, Poland and Baltic countries showed great zeal. However, finally the European Union failed to approve any serious anti-Russian sanctions.
Many European politicians spoke in favor of the Russia’s policy in the Caucasus. Speaking at the 63rd Session of the UN General Assembly on September 23 French President Nikolas Sarkozy said: “Europe wants to build its common future with Russia and be its partner”.
Finnish President Tarja Halonen pointed out that Finland does not support the idea of sanctions against Russia because “they lead to a vicious circle with no way out”.
Erhard Eppler, a German Social Democrat politician, believes that it is the USA that bears responsibility for exacerbation of relations between Russia and the West in view of the conflict in the Caucasus and intention of the United States to deploy its ABM system in Czechia and Poland . He says that the US leadership cannot understand that other countries also have their claims to power, and “the time of unipolar world has expired”. Eppler also urged the world community to better understand the position of Russia in the conflict in the Caucasus. In his opinion, Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia because it could not act otherwise, for by this step it saved the Ossetians and Abkhazians from annihilation.
German Defense Minister Dr. Franz Josef Jung also speaks in favor of the dialogue between NATO and Russia. According to him, such dialogue is necessary because “we have common interests in the sphere of security”. 56 per cent of Germans speak against Georgia’s membership in NATO and support “the correct attitude” of the West towards Russia that implies partners-like relations.
A part of Latvian MPs consider that it is possible to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The respective draft law was submitted to the Parliament by party For Human Rights in Single Latvia, representing the Russian-speaking population of the country.
Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos spoke out against impositions of sanctions on Russia by the European Union.
The situation in the Caucasus evoked disagreement between the European Union and NATO. For example, the leadership of the European Commission believes that to resume the talks with Russia on a new agreement on partnership and cooperation it is enough that the Russian troops would be withdrawn only from the buffer zones adjoining Abkhazia and South Ossetia and simultaneously would stay in the territory of the republics. The leadership of NATO demands that the Russian troops would be also withdrawn from Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
In certain countries the establishment has no common attitude towards Russia and Georgia. For instance, Czech President Claus is not agree with the opinion of the Government and blames Georgia for the conflict in the Caucasus. In United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Miliband urged the Western countries not to arrange isolation of Russia whereas the day before he called the West to make a consolidated coalition against Russia, which was an aggressor in the conflict with Georgia in the opinion of the British Foreign Office.
In general, the policy of the United States and its staunch allies in Europe (Great Britain, Poland, Sweden, Baltic countries) aimed at isolation of Russia for its steps to save the peoples of South Ossetia and Abkhazia from annihilation is not fully supported by the world community and is doomed to failure. Besides Russia the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia has been already recognized by Venezuela and Nicaragua. And it is only the beginning. Other nations will recognize it too...
