Former politicians from the East European countries appealed to the U.S. President Barack Obama with an open letter, where they asked the USA, NATO to pay more attention to the security in the region and counter to the “growing intimidation” on the part of Russia.

In Western mass media the discussion continues of the open letter to the U.S. President Barack Obama signed by 22 politicians of the past. Lech Valensa (Poland), Alexander Kwasniewski (Poland), Vatslav Gavel (Czechia), Valdas Adamkus (Lithuania), Vaira Vike Freiberga (Latvia), Mart Laar (Estonia) and others are among signers.

Calling themselves “the US friends” and at the same time “adherents of the European values”, the signers reminded the US President of the years of friendship and cooperation between America and the East European countries in the years of their governing, expressed their anxiety that during “the Russian-American relations reload” one of the new American administration’s foreign policy priorities is being lost – close cooperation with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Consequently NATO’s potential in the European security system falls off; the Russian Federation’s positions on the continent are being improved. And this is the main thing worrying the former politicians.

Referring to their own experience of relationship with Russia, the letter-writers think that Moscow till now has not recognized to the end the East European countries’ sovereignty, and the Kremlin in its policy “combines tactics and methods of the XX century with the imperial idea of the XIX century.” In a word, Russia is the devil incarnate and must be kept in line.

In this connection the letter-writers advise the United States to maintain its more principled stand toward Russia, which, they say, will “not only strengthen the Western security system, but will also urge Moscow on cooperation,” bring it to its level. The European politicians of the past ask the USA to consider in a greater degree Poland’s and Czechia’s leaders’ opinion (note – leaders, and not nations) and prevent excessive intervention in solution of a question on creation of the ABM system in Europe, because this project cancellation, according to the letter-writers, will reduce the Europeans’ trust in America.

Former politicians from the East European countries also express their anxiety about intensification of Europe’s power dependence on Russia and assert that the United States political support can exercise a dominant influence on this dependence slackening.

The letter contains an appeal to NATO’s closer cooperation with the European Community and joint strategy development in relations with Russia. In whole, the letter-writers think that Europe needs more attention on the part of the USA and this should be reflected in the system of American foreign policy priorities.

The former politicians’ letter initiated statements on the problems raised by some present politicians. Thus, the President of Poland Lech Kachinsky supported the published message and said that “Russia’s unilateral concessions are inadmissible.” At that he reproached the USA and NATO once again for “too restrained reaction to the Russian aggression in Georgia in August of last year.” Lech Kachinsky expressed an opinion that “only resoluteness and consistency can incline Russia to a “real dialogue.” He also emphasized the importance of the European countries cooperation with the USA in democracy development in the former Soviet Union countries.

Alongside with that, in many publications of the Western mass media the writers reject the main thesis of the letter that the ways of the Eastern Europe and the USA began to part, that the USA disregards challenges in the Central and Eastern Europe. It was also declared by the US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs P.J. Crowley. Particularly, he noted that Washington continues a dialogue with the European partners by various channels, including NATO and EC. At the same time it is noteworthy that P.J. Crowley has not given any clear comment on the questions connected with Russia, expressed in the letter. And it is no mere chance because in relations between the USA and Russia other approaches began to show going against the hair or being still not understood by former politicians of the East European countries.

…The former politicians’ open letter is “shades of the near past” that continue to create a potential of suspicions about the Russian Federation, tensions in relations between Russia and the West. But today it is other time. That is why the practical result of the letter is turned out different from that expected by its writers – the US diplomacy talked its way out of the letter by common phrases.

However the fact remains – “shades of the tragic 40s years” today complement the “shades of the near past”, which spoils the international relations, prevent nations and peoples of Europe from advancing to the creation of mutual trust and cooperation, stable security system.