ESTONIA
The press writes that poor knowledge of modern Russia prevents Estonia from being a go-between in West-East relations. Moreover, it makes it difficult for Estonia even to build bilateral relations with Russia.
"The military threat is not diminished by any concessions, and political tensions persist in human relations even if the government takes a resolution to eliminate them. Reconciliation must be bilateral. Until now we had an iron curtain between us." (Eesti Paevaleht, July 29.)
The press quotes U.S. Congressman John Shimkus as drawing parallels between Nazi Germany and the U.S.S.R. He said that Germany compensated Jews for damages caused by war crimes. After years of negotiations an agreement was reached on how to compensate for the stolen property, and Shimkus said that he heard that people had already received compensation. (Postimees, July 29.)
The media lashed out against the visit by journalists from Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia to Moscow at the invitation of RIA Novosti. "The journalists were being told that we are ourselves to blame for bad relations with Russia because we cannot forget history... The talk centered on one and the same point: There was no Soviet occupation of the Baltic nations, and Russia has nothing to apologize for." (Postimees, July 30.)
LATVIA
The media reiterates its traditionally nationalist view of the "occupation" problem. "Moscow can well afford to pay the sum that we are going to come up with. Russia has more than enough money! ... Let them pay not only for fun they had, but also for their sins - the crimes of the U.S.S.R of which Russia is a legal successor." (Vesti-Segodnya, August 2.)
At the same time some publications express doubts in the timing of the effort to set up a working group in order to assess the "occupation"-inflicted damage. "Dialog with Russia is at such a stage that the discussion of this question at government level will be a very destructive step." (Diena, July 30.)
An expected rise in Russian gas prices is a source of growing concern in Latvia. "Such a rise is bound to push up inflation, and hence obstruct [Latvia's] plans to introduce the euro." (Telegraph, July 27.)
Latvian media forecast an increase in the government's share of Russia's gas industry as a result of the growing influence of the "state oligarchs." "Judging by the deals planned for this year, the state may take a third of the oil industry. The aim is to keep the Putin clan in power even after parliamentary and presidential elections." (Dienas Biznes, July 28.)
LITHUANIA
Quoting German sources, Lithuanian media write about yet another scandal casting a shadow over President Vladimir Putin and Minister of Information Technologies and Communications Leonid Reiman. "German investigators believe that Telekominvest, a company linked to Reiman, is the major part of the huge money-laundering machine. The Putins' name is mentioned in this connection because the Russian president's wife Lyudmila Putina had worked for some time in Telekominvest." (Lietuvos rytas, July 27.)
The media published the results of the poll pointing to the lack of trust in companies with Russian capital. "Almost half of Lithuanian businessmen (47%) have a negative or emphatically negative attitude to Gazprom, the most likely buyer of Mazeikiu Nafta shares. Almost a third (31%) give a negative or a markedly negative assessment of the Russian LUKoil." (Lietuvos rytas, July 7.)
The press predicts that the Lithuanian government will turn down Moscow's request to freeze all operations with Yukos shares, and hence cancel an auction on selling Mazeikiu Nafta's controlling interest. "We found out from reliable sources that officials of the Lithuanian Ministry of Justice would not dare make a decision in Russia's favor." (Lietuvos rytas, July 29.)
UKRAINE
The natural gas price increase planned by Russia has worried the media. "The energy carrier price hike could immediately affect the domestic market and processing costs, which, according to analysts, could undermine the popularity of the political bloc led by Yushchenko's party, Our Ukraine." (Korrespondent.net, August 1.)
Essentially, the mass media have accused Russia of seizing and monopolizing the Ukrainian oil market.
"As far as Russia is concerned, the situation has resulted from a well-thought-out strategy to rebuild the former empire, and as far as Ukraine is concerned, it proves the authorities are unable to stand up for the country's national interests." (Den, July 27.)
The media forecast another scandal on the "natural gas front" due to a Ukrainian probe into the operations of RosUkrEnergo, half of which is owned by Gazprom. "The investigation is certain to aggravate Kiev's relations with Russia and Gazprom, which already are far from being rosy." (Rupor, July 27.)
In the wake of the visit to Moscow by the parliament's speaker, Vladimir Litvin, and the latter's talks with President Vladimir Putin and Federation Council Speaker Sergei Mironov, some media have resumed talk of the Kremlin's meddling in the parliamentary election in Ukraine. "Russia is seeking the so-called 'third power' capable of ousting the 'orange elite' from the political Olympus." (Glavred, August 2.)
Keeping an eye on the conflict between Ukraine and the Moscow mayor's office over the ownership of Crimean health resorts, the media are surprised at the shortsightedness of Kiev, which voluntarily refused an influx of investment from Moscow in the Ukrainian economy for the sake of dubious ambitions. "It is difficult to gauge how this step will benefit the state, but the economic and moral damage done to the interests of Ukraine and the Crimea is quite obvious... The business reputation of Ukraine and the Crimea should not be called into question, nor should the good neighborly relations between the regions and the countries should be neglected." (Korrespondent.net, August 1.)
MOLDOVA
Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin is reported to have roundly denounced Russia's unwillingness to withdraw its troops from Transdnestr, characterizing it as a tacit support for the self-proclaimed regime. "Having Russian troops pulled out from the region is viewed by Voronin as possible only in case of support by the EU and the United States." (Flux, July 29.)
The Moldovan press blames the tension between Chisinau and Moscow on the latter. "Russia should give up its imperial ways it has been resorting to in all formats of cooperation with former Soviet republics. Unless this happens, problems will persist," the Flux continues.
The press has repeatedly published translations of foreign articles slamming the policies pursued by Russian President Vladimir Putin. "With centers of independent thought nonexistent, an atmosphere of fear is being imposed in the country... Erring sincerely and completely, Putin, hardly a well-educated man himself, is leading Russia toward disintegration similar to that accompanying the collapse of the Soviet Union." (PRESS-Review, August 1.)
ARMENIA
The withdrawal of Russian troops form Georgia is viewed as changing the military structure of the southern Caucasus region, which, according to expert opinion, prompts Armenia to urgently reconsider its security and military cooperation priorities. The policy of partnership with Russia is regarded as inadequate in the new situation. "The change taking place in the world and southern Caucasus region is happening very fast, and we have to learn to react promptly and adequately. Clinging to old security concepts, we might find ourselves isolated from regional and global security systems, if Russia departs southern Caucasus completely," (Aravot, July 27.)
The media and experts share the view that the Armenian-Russian partnership has been ever more pro forma and note the parties' apparent lack of interest in maintaining relations. "[Armenia] has virtually disappeared from the Russian information arena - newspapers, television, etc. They talk of anything but Armenia, which is mentioned from time to time mostly in a negative context." (Azg, July 27.)
GEORGIA
President Vladimir Putin's statement of the need for preemptive strikes against terrorists has made quite a stir. Experts are apprehensive of brewing Russian military aggression against Georgia, particularly in the Pankisi Gorge. "How can Georgia retaliate? Tbilisi states it will wait for confirmation of the reports, and if the statement is not ideological gossip, Russians themselves may be attacked." (Rezonansi, July 29.)
Georgian politicians are more restrained in interpreting Putin's statement. "I don't think the Russian president really meant it. The political situation in the world is not conducive for Russia to decide to do so." (Rezonansi, July 29.)
The political community is waiting for Russian provocation and, as usual, hopes that the United States will intercede. "Russia is posing a real threat. What used to be said by Russian politicians and the military has been voiced by the Russian president... We should hope for support by the United States." (Rezonansi, August 1.)
The accusations of masterminding the terrorist attack in Gori in February 2005 piled upon Russian secret services kicked off a surge of spy scares in Georgia. Georgian politicians, pundits and the media are certain that Russian agents have been influencing a wide range of processes in the country. "There is a rather intricate Russian spy network operating in Georgia. There are many Russian intelligence agents in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict area. It is Russia that masterminded the terrorist attacks in the Shida Kartli region." (Rezonansi, July 28.)
The media stick to the version that Russians also planned a terrorist attack against the Ukrainian president in South Ossetia. "Trained by the Russian GRU [military intelligence service], Ossetian commandos were going to attack aircraft." (Rezonansi, July 27.)
The scandal was prompted by reports that Moscow-based regional commercial bank Mezhregionalbank in 1993 loaned $14 million to Vladislav Ardzinba, the leader of Abkhazia's Supreme Council. "The document [the letter by the bank's head, A. Shalashov, to Ardzinba, asking for the loan to be paid back] casts new light upon the situation. The Russians have been stating that they always comply with the law and always fulfill agreements. However, the letter is a good example of how they deceive us." (Ahali Version, August 1.)
AZERBAIJAN
The media backs Russia's leadership in establishing a multipolar world order. "As a result of Russia's foreign policy, the European, Asian and Caucasian groups of states opposing U.S. plans for a unipolar world order are being formed." Echo, August 2.)
The opposition is against the government or Russian representatives conducting exit polls during the parliamentary election in Azerbaijan. "It is an open secret that all major Russian companies of the kind are controlled by the Kremlin. This means that the Kremlin will call for reciprocity for its playing at give-away from Baku." (Mirror, August 1.)
The media presents Russia as the main source of the terrorist threat to neighboring countries, primarily Azerbaijan. "Although today the Kremlin prefers talking about 'terrorist bases' in the states adjacent to Russia, actually, it is Russia that poses the 'terrorist threat' to the adjacent states." (Echo, July 29.)
The Russian government's decision to limit the amount of rubles a person can take out of the country starting on August 31 caused quite a stir among the public and in the media. According to local experts, this will affect Azerbaijan and Russia itself. "A drop in the ruble flow to Azerbaijan will sap the process of strengthening Azerbaijan's national currency, the manat. As far as Russia is concerned, the move is fraught with problems with its accession to the WTO." (Yeni Musavat, August 2.)
The press attributes the deterioration of the relations between the Russian company Transneft and the Azerbaijani government to the company's striving to retain as heavy oil traffic from Azerbaijan via the Baku-Novorossiisk pipeline as possible. "All attempts by Transneft to hinder oil producers operating in Azerbaijan can be explained by its burning desire to get an ever growing volume of Azeri oil that is bypassing it." (Mirror, July 29.)
KAZAKHSTAN
The press maintains that the agreement between the United States and Kyrgyzstan to continue military cooperation in the fight against international terrorism does not mean that the new Bishkek authorities are turning their back on Russia. "Russia is one of the global powers and the obvious leader in post Soviet countries. Russia's presence in Central Asia guarantees stability and security." (Nomad, July 28.)
There are, however, a number of articles criticizing Russia's foreign policy. "Russia's influence on its neighbors in the 21st century is overall negative. Russia is quickly turning into an autocratic state, and one of the main indications is that it is ready to give up basic human principles for mythical restoration of its might... Americans could have overlooked the events in Andijan, guided by the benefits of their military presence in Uzbekistan, but they did not do that. Yet Putin does not care. He is ready to describe peaceful protesters as terrorists if this helps return Uzbekistan to Russia's sphere of influence." (Navigator-II, August 1.)
The press sees the protest by the Russian Embassy in the U.S. against the interview with Chechen terrorist Shamil Basayev broadcast by ABC News as a half measure and another display of Russia's political weakness. "The Russian authorities are so scared of phantom 'orange scenarios' that even if Basayev starts talking from the White House lawn, there will be no consequences. They will just continue shooting out their lips." (Nomad, August 1.)
KYRGYZSTAN
The status of the U.S. military base in Kyrgyzstan remains the main topic. Some mass media outlets are positive that the sharp "anti-American tilt" in the Bishkek policy is nothing but "diplomatic blackmail," which has been very beneficial for the country's budget. "Two rivaling bases on one territory are quite beneficial for Kyrgyzstan. Since 1991, the United States has provided the country $750 million in aid. Now, by temporarily joining 'opponents of the bases,' Bishkek has earned another $200 million." (Gazeta.KG, July 29.)
Some articles still view Central Asia as the stage for a geopolitical confrontation between world powers. "U.S. military presence in the region seeks to contain and diminish Russia's influence, as well as to held the United States to build relations with Iran. The U.S. will do everything to strengthen its military presence in the region." (AKIpress, July 28.)
Nevertheless, despite the recent agreement with the United States on the status of the military base, Bishkek's foreign policy is dominated by the pro-Russian line. "Russia has always occupied and will occupy a special place in Kyrgyzstan's foreign policy. Our countries have full understanding and common views on the prospects of all aspects of international relations." (Obshchestvenny Reiting, July 27.)
UZBEKISTAN
The media maintains that rolling back the U.S. military presence in Uzbekistan does not mean a geopolitical victory for Russia or a greater role for the "Chinese factor" in the region. At the same time, some outlets do not rule out the prospects of Russian-American cooperation in the region with the aim of stabilization. "The Kremlin is extremely interested in maintaining stability in Central Asia. So the Putin administration has decided to reach out a hand to Uzbek President Islam Karimov, not waiting for the circumstances of the riot in Andijan to be investigated. Otherwise, Uzbekistan may have faced an Islamic revolution with uncontrollable consequences. Such developments are not in the interests of the West either." (TRIBUNE-uz, July 31.)
TAJIKISTAN
The press points out that U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's visit to Tajikistan confirmed his expectations: Tajikistan has disengaged itself from the commitment to provide its airspace and infrastructure for the anti-terrorist coalition. "The quiet atmosphere of Tajik-American relations shows that the country's leaders have managed to build a model of developing relations with the U.S. that, on the one hand, is quite in line with Tajikistan's national interests and, on the other hand, to not irritate the country's other strategic partners, Russia and China, which could lead to negative consequences." (Aziya-Plyus, July 28.)
Mass media appreciate the Russian president's decision to ban political parties and public organizations from receiving financing from abroad. "If foreign investment stops, at first the number of political parties and public organizations will drop, and then the role of the ruling party supported by the Kremlin will grow." (Zindagi, July 28.)
