ESTONIA
The press is concerned about China's involvement into the fight for Russia's energy "benevolence". "It is clear that Russia's vast reserves will not be enough for everyone. The EU and China will start competing to get into Russia's graces...China has one advantage - it does not care about observance of the principles of democracy and human rights by its trade partners. Energy-starved China allows them to live as they do."
(Eesti Ekspress, March 31)
The media unequivocally see political motives behind the imposition of a ban on the wine imports from Georgia and Moldavia by the Russia's sanitary inspection. "Tbilisi points out that for all its rigid standards, EU does not limit wine imports... Many analysts attribute this ban to Moscow's desire to cut to size quarrelsome republics rather than protect the health of the Russian people. The objection of both republics to Russia's joining WTO could become a direct excuse for the wine blockade." (Eesti Paevaleht, April 4)
LATVIA
The national media are quoting their favorite argument about Russia's energy pressure on its partners from among former Soviet republics. In the middle of the past year Gazprom announced its intention to raise prices for former Soviet republic, including Belarus. But at their meeting last September Presidents Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko decided to postpone this question at least to the presidential elections in Belarus... Political scientists believe that Russia has gone into blackmail - it demands that Lukashenko should sell Beltransgaz at the price it offers in exchange for the acceptance of the dubious presidential elections. True, Putin congratulated Lukashenko on his victory, but the Kremlin's patience has run out, and it is now time to pay the debt." (Diena, April 1)
LITHUANIA
The words of the Russian President's Aide Sergey Yastrzhembsky to the effect that Russia will never pay Lithuania for "the occupation damage", and that relations should be developed from scratch have caused uproar in the media. "One day conscience will compel Russia to assuage its guilt. Conscience should appear sooner or later. Vladimir Putin himself goes to church. Yastrzhembsky had opted for civilized speech - we simply have to read it right. Occupation? Yes, it was the case. Damage? Yes, it was done. We won't pay now. We won't apologize now. This is it. O.K. we'll wait." (Veidas, April 4)
The national media write that being Russia's neighbor is a threat to Lithuania's national security. "The interests of our neighbor far from always coincide with those of the Lithuanian people. Russia has adapted itself to the new circumstances, and, regrettably, has remained a huge threat for us... The biggest problems of our national security stem from our inadequate democracy and vulnerability of our political system... Russia's foreign policy is at its strongest when it relies on energy or security services... Russia does not prejudice our membership in the EU and NATO, but it wants friendly people from these structures to sit at the decision-making table... Russia is actively working through the media as well." (Lietuvos Zinios, March 30. Sugardas. lt, April 4)
UKRAINE
The press continues heated debates on the future ruling coalition in Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament). Some publications think that the Kremlin could not care less about any Ukrainian politicians because in building its relations with Kiev, Moscow will be guided by considerations of expediency. "Any government, be it Orange, Blue, or Blue-Orange... will have to deal with a totally new Russia. It will give economic preferences only to its unreserved satellites". (Oligarkh.net, March 31)
The media unanimously predict growing contradictions with Russia because the January gas agreements are doomed to be denounced under any political coalition. "We will be in for a new stage in the gas war, but it will take place not in extremely arduous winter, but on the eve of summer, when the time will be working for Ukraine. Europe is very sensitive to the growth of authoritarian trends in Russia, and will be increasingly dubious of Putin's readiness to be a reliable energy supplier." (Glavred, March 29)
MOLDOVA
The media have focused on Moscow's ban on wine imports from Moldova and Georgia. They see this ban as a strictly political decision made in response to the new terms of transit for Transdniestr goods at the Moldovian-Ukrainian border. "It is clear that a vindictive, gnashing Russian politician stands behind the effort to discredit Moldavian wine. He does not even attempt to hide himself in the belief that there is nothing to lose after Chisinau has managed to deal a tangible blow to the Tiraspol separatists with the help of the U.S. and EU. All this hype about centuries-long friendship between the Russian and Moldavian people disappeared overnight." (Jurnal de Chisinau, April 4)
The pro-Romanian journalists are inspired by the idea to prevent Russia from joining WTO. "There is no place for Russia in WTO. The reasons are as follows: interference of its authorities in the affairs of Russian businessmen, the inbreeding of top government officials with monopolies, and the numerous embargoes imposed on objectionable countries." (Flux, March 30)
The semi-official press is increasingly suggesting that Russia's status in the Transdniestr settlement should be changed from a mediator to a participant in the conflict. "Nobody can deny that Russia has used all instruments of undeclared economic and political war against the Republic of Moldova... The Kremlin practically does not cover up its actions in favor of the separatists, or its attempts to destabilize the social and political situation." (Moldova Suverana, March 30).
ARMENIA
The media are increasingly urging politicians to display caution in talks with Russia on gas tariffs, which may result in Armenia losing independence. "Any political force, which demands 'special attitude' from Russia, is offering for sale Armenia's independence... Today, demanding that Russia should sell cheap gas for 'political considerations' means voluntarily giving up Armenian political interests, and accepting the status of an outpost for good." (168-zham, March 29)
The press is again lashing out at Moscow for its attitude to the guest workers. "Most of Russia's debates on labor migrants are hypocritical and demagogical. The migrants are invariably described as an evil. Supposedly, their labor costs the budget about 200 billion rubles, and they are all offenders who commit numerous crimes... Almost nobody says what part of the GDP is produced by almost 20 million guest workers -- an aborigine is not likely to work 16 hours in a row as they do." (Azg, April 4)
GEORGIA
The Russian ban on Georgian wine imports has caused a flood of criticism. The media qualify this ban as part of the economic war, and an overtly political decision. "Isn't it strange that the Russians have simultaneously found out that Georgian and Moldavian wines are bad? Not long ago Ukrainian dairy products were bad, and earlier the American chicken were inedible... In other words, sometimes political or personal interests are clearly manifest in the Russian market." (Kviris Palitra, April 3 - April 9). "Maybe, tea's turn will come after wine... Georgian mineral water may face the same problem. Russian-Georgian economic confrontation did not start with a ban on wine. In winter Russia refused to accept citrus fruit, but the government did not have such a sharp response on this issue. Before that our neighbor suspended bay leaf imports. (Rezonanci, April 1)
AZERBAIJAN
Azerbaijan's dependence on the Russian agricultural market has prompted the media to watch closely the situation around a temporary ban on the exports of Moldavian and Georgian wines to Russia. Its comments on this score are markedly negative. "The fact that all of a sudden the Russian sanitary inspection has become concerned over the quality of Moldavian and Georgian wines and banned their imports into Russia is a subject for a political parody - this is all too primitive, and easily seen through." (Echo, Azerbaijan, April 1)
The media see Russia's intention to switch to world gas prices in relations with Belarus as an effort to achieve its own foreign policy goals. "It seems obvious that having proclaimed for all to hear its decision to charge Belarus as much as Europe for gas supplies, Russia wants to kill three birds with one stone. First of all, it refutes the accusations about subsidizing the unattractive regime of Alexander Lukashenko by selling gas at very low prices. Secondly, the world receives dubious and extremely belated evidence on economic rather than political motives behind the switch to world prices in trade with Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. Finally, Russia will be more than happy to receive handsome sums of hard currency. But the problem is that prices for gas alone will not let Russia to fully disassociate itself from Lukashenko (Echo, April 4)
KAZAKHSTAN
Analysts think that a clash of interests between the government and influential Russian financial and industrial groups is one of the reasons, which prevents Russia from expanding its economic and political pressure in Central Asia. "This is a powerful time bomb, because sooner or later the economic competition of Russian and Kazakh companies in the CIS and other foreign markets will be on the upsurge. It is already there. A vivid example is the attempt of KazMunaiGaz to buy 53.7% of Yukos shares from the Lithuanian Mazeikiu Nafta oil refinery, which was resisted by some Russian oil-and-gas companies, which do not want to see Kazakh competitors in new markets." (Liter.kz, March 30)
The media qualify Russia's ban on wine imports from Georgia and Moldova as the imposition of economic sanctions against unfriendly nations, and the start of a kind of trade war on the post-Soviet space. "Moscow has got its own Jackson-Vanik amendment... It is with these two republics (Georgia and Moldova), if we don't count neighboring Ukraine, that Moscow has not been on good terms. Moldova, for example, decided not so long ago to isolate the outpost of Russian interests in Transdniestr, while Georgia demanded strict compliance with the schedule of the withdrawal of Russian military bases from its territory... The main goal of such sanctions is to undermine and deplete the economies of Georgia and Moldova." (Liter.kz, April 1)
KYRGYZSTAN
Some sources are alarmed about Kyrgyz migration to Russia. "At present, about 90,000 ethnic Kyrgyz are processing papers for the Russian citizenship. Those who leave Kyrgyzstan are not going to be back. Their number has gone up three-fold, as is the case with ethnic Slavs. The government should take urgent measures to prevent the migrants from losing ties with their homeland." (Gazeta. KG, March 29). "The market of money remittances from Russia to Kyrgyzstan is growing at incredible rates, and is expected to substantially increase in 2006. However, instead of sending money home, one day the migrants may decide to move their relatives to Russia." (Kabar, March 29)
Speaking about the prospects of Russia's economic development, some experts pessimistically forecast its crises and gradual transformation into the raw materials appendage of the great powers. "Russia is turning into a milk cow for the entire world economy. This process started during the disintegration of the U.S.S.R. and is still going on. In the next few decades Russia will be facing huge demographic problems. It received labor from other CIS countries, Kyrgyzstan included. As a rule, these are unqualified labor... Russia can sell its cars and other hardware only to the least developed nations. Natural gas can make Russia rich but will not develop its industry." (Yerkin-Too, March 31)
UZBEKISTAN
The opposition press claims that what Russia presents as anti-terrorist measures is illegal, and that Uzbek citizens are being detained on far-fetched charges and with open support of the republican security services. "Today, hundreds of Uzbek citizens live in Russia to escape prosecution at home, but its authorities do not grant asylum to political or religious refugees from CIS countries. In effect, Uzbek security services are acting in Russia in the open..." (Musulmansky Uzbekistan, March 29)
TAJIKISTAN
The media are indignant that the criminals who attacked a nine year-old Tajik girl Khursheda Sultonova have been merely charged with disorderly conduct. Commentators believe that the City Court of St. Petersburg deliberately left the verdict free of any nationalistic motives. "Many think that if a group of young skinheads has killed an Azeri or Tajik, this is the business of the Azeri or Tajik Diaspora. In addition to general social tensions, unfriendly attitudes to the Russians are mounting among those whose child or father was killed. When stones are thrown in a glass house, the majority has to suffer, and for the time being Russians are a majority in Russia." (Asia-Plus, April 4).
A statement by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Afghan Ministry of Industry about unexplored oil and gas in Afghanistan came as an unpleasant surprise for Russia and Central Asian countries. The media write that the projected Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, in which Gazprom supposedly had interest, will sustain an utter failure. "Russia has the only protection against Afghan 'gasavat' - the Afghan debts, which stand at 10 billion dollars... The debts are the only lever which Russia may use to get to the abandoned Soviet facilities, including gas deposits in the north of Afghanistan... But whenever these debts are mentioned, the pro-U.S. Afghan government starts talking about compensation for the Soviet invasion." (Asia-Plus, March 30)
