ESTONIA
News analysts are worried about the European Union's growing energy dependence on Russia. "Russia has alarmed the West with its use of energy as a political weapon, rejection of Western capital and attempts to split the EU. It is not surprising that Germany, the largest country in the EU and Russia's preferred partner, is nervous. At the EU meeting in Lahti, Germany's Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded that a clear-cut program of diversifying energy supplies be drafted in order to avoid the country's dependence on Russia." (Eesti Paevaleht, October 23.)
Journalists call [on the EU] not to "barter" the problem of human rights violations in Russia for energy. "There is no guarantee that European homes will have central heating in future without cooperation with Russia.... However, the situation in Russia has forced even the most pliant politicians to raise the issue of political commitments." (Eesti Paevaleht, October 21.)
Analysts believe that Russia is not interested in settling "frozen conflicts" in post-Soviet states. "Putin lied when he insisted that whatever was going on in the South Caucasus was an internal conflict between Georgia and the breakaway states. In fact, Moscow has long been looking at Sukhumi [Abkhazia] and Tskhinvali [South Ossetia] as if they were capitals of its Federation members. What else can explain Russian politicians' regular visits to the rebellious regions?.. Russia's goal of preserving two powerful levers of influence on Georgia in the shape of separatist countries and doing everything possible to prevent it from joining NATO betrays its imperial ambitions." (Postimees, October 23.)
LATVIA
In the observers' opinion, negotiations at the informal Russia-EU summit in Lahti should be regarded as a complete failure of the European Union's energy policy. "Putin is still opposed to signing the Energy Charter, which would make it easier for Western companies to get access to the Russian energy sector"; "Putin proposes... a vertically integrated energy monopoly barring rivals from the Russian oil and gas market... Oil and gas are becoming the Kremlin's new ideology, and the West should respond with unity." (Diena, October 23.)
"Each side prefers to stick to its own opinion. Europe has not obtained any guarantees of its energy security, while Russia has waited in vain for preferential treatment." (Telegraf, October 23.)
The media are concerned over Russia's ban on Latvian canned fish imports. Experts claim that Russia has declared a "sprat war" on Latvia to defend the interests of domestic producers. "Kaliningrad has banned the sale of canned sprats in oil from Latvia. The reason is a high content of benzopyrene, a cancerogenic substance, in sprats... Considering that Russia and the EU have different standards of the permissible benzopyrene levels in sprats, Russians have a real chance now of legally ousting Latvian producers from their market... Inarijs Voits, head of the Latvian Fish Producers Association, said that "Russia's recent statement is a political step which spells unfair competition." (Telegraf, October 19.)
"Russian authorities launched their first attack against food imports from unfriendly countries in the spring of 2006, when they banned wine imports from Moldova and Georgia... Now it is the turn of Latvian sprats... Experts are convinced... that economic rather than political interests are behind this decision, that is, protection of the Russian producers' interests." (Biznes & Baltia, October 20.)
LITHUANIA
Numerous analytical articles discuss the murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya, saying that such cases have become a regular pattern in today's Russia, that Russian government officials are trying to shift the blame on Western security services and that most Russians are inclined to believe such versions.
"It is well known that the journalist, together with the Memorial human rights organization, has found out that the policemen sent to Chechnya in 2001 abducted, tortured and killed civilians. Russian politicians have dismissed this version. They repeatedly stated to the mass media that Politkovskaya was murdered by Western intelligence agents in order to damage Russia's image as a democracy. The overwhelming majority of Russians believe this." (Panorama, October 19.)
"Politkovskaya's murder will go down in Russian history as a typical monstrosity... If there were hundreds of such journalists in Russia, there would be no point in murdering her... It was primarily the lack of freedom across the country that killed the free journalist. Non-freedom killed freedom, and there is a pattern to her murder, no matter who stands behind it. Non-freedom gives rise to lawlessness... Hundreds of people who came to say farewell to Anna looked more helpless than sad. They were clearly shown they were powerless and would only be told as much as considered necessary." (Forumvilnius.lt, October 18.)
UKRAINE
In expectation of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov's visit to Ukraine, some publications discuss the Kremlin's interest in the Ukrainian gas pipeline network. They considered different scenarios, from the revival of the gas transportation consortium project to handing the pipelines over to Russia. However, the press views the latter as a less viable option, since it would rob Kiev of its strongest bargaining chip in relations with Russia.
"It goes without saying that Russia wants to gain access to the Ukrainian gas pipeline network from the Yanukovych government in exchange for gas and favorable gas prices." (Glavred, October 20.)
"[We need] to try to come to an agreement with Russia, even if it concerns the pipelines... But the experience of neighboring Belarus has shown only too clearly... that afterwards Russia will not respect our interests." (From-ua, October 19.)
Bilateral disagreements give Ukraine greater room for maneuver when bargaining on the one hand, but on the other, it threatens harsher demands from the Kremlin. "The opaque Rosukrenergo will have extremely favorable conditions... Also, Russians will most probably be given the remains of state-owned chemical enterprises... Moscow expects [Ukraine] to give up plans of accelerated WTO accession, to stop discussing NATO membership and return to the plans of the Single Economic Space." (Vlast Deneg, October 20-26.)
MOLDOVA
The Major Principles of Transdnestr's Status in the Republic of Moldova, proposed by Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gucht, the current OSCE chairman, is criticized by pro-Romanian newspapers. Europe's mistake is that it considers conflicting parties to be Chisinau and Tiraspol, not Moscow, journalists believe.
"The project carefully avoids the word 'federation', which causes a negative response in Moldova, but its authors are trying to unite [Dmitry] Kozak's memorandum with principles of Belgian federalism... In the Belgian variant, the judicial system should be single, but it can incorporate foreign judges representing guarantor countries. This is not a misprint. The OSCE chairman proposes to include Russian judges in the future Moldovan Constitutional Court. Perhaps, His Excellency already has a list... received from [Russian Foreign] Minister Lavrov." (Flux, October 19.)
The press denounces the republican government, which refused to support Georgia in its conflict with Russia in the Parliament Assembly of the GUAM organization in Chisinau. "It does not matter so much whether the declaration was adopted or not, but the Moldovan government showed that it was cowardly and did not have any pride. It compromised Moldova's image in the eyes of Georgians." (Jurnal de Chisinau, October 24.)
ARMENIA
Experts are actively discussing the Russian-Georgian conflict. "Georgians, inspired by the gargantuan task of fighting for their territorial integrity, are unlikely to view economic troubles as a consequence of their President Mikhail Saakashvili's moves... Russia should have adopted a different course of action. It responds to Georgia's moves with harsh measures, but is late every time." (Hayots Ashkhar, October 18.)
"The time when Moscow had to respect the opinions of Washington, Paris, Berlin, London, etc. is over. It now feels like an equal player again and believes that if the United States can topple the Iraqi regime only because of the possibility that Saddam had chemical weapons, why not try to twist the arms and break the back of a country that, as Moscow sees it, is not being sufficiently deferential?.. The Kremlin... was fairly tough pointing out for the White House that any encouragement of the Georgian revolutionary government's policy was unacceptable. As a result, Washington mitigated its enthusiasm." (168 zham, October 17.)
The conflict has brought both presidents significant political dividends, analysts believe. "Who profited most from the turmoil in Russian-Georgian relations? The two countries' leaders: it helped Saakashvili win local elections, while Putin's approval ratings surged to such hights that even intellectuals, who had been silent about his third term before, have now deemed it necessary to join in the request. Incidentally, this proves once again that Russians are attracted to strength." (Azg, October 18.)
GEORGIA
The mass media is frustrated by the fact that the West preferred to overlook the Russian-Georgian conflict at the unofficial summit in Lahti, confining itself to formal calls for the parties to mitigate their positions. U.S. State Secretary Condoleezza Rice's visit to Russia was a similar disappointment.
"The Georgian authorities vested great hopes in this summit. Tbilisi believed that the EU would lash out at Russia for "fraying Georgia's nerves." Unfortunately, nothing of the kind happened. Putin painted a picture for Europe that made the Georgian authorities look like aggressors. The meeting between Putin and Rice did not meet the expectations either... Georgia believed that Rice would make Putin regret repressing a small nation. Although there are no details of their meeting, it is known that the State Secretary advised Russia and Georgia not to escalate tensions. The summit in Finland and Rice's visit showed us once again that we have only ourselves to rely on. Perhaps, America views us as a strategic partner, but it nevertheless prefers Russia. At least, it does not want to quarrel with it because of us. Somehow we do not want to understand it, although such examples have been plenty." (Akhali Taoba, October 23.)
The moves of Russian law-enforcement agencies against ethnic Georgians are compared to persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany. "What is going on is an absurdity that has gone beyond all boundaries. Georgians in Russia are persecuted the same way as Jews were in Nazi Germany. It has not yet come to the David star, but these developments are pure Nazism. Inert Russian politicians believe that by massive deportations of Georgians they will increase the country's discontent with Saakashvili. But what has happened is just the opposite. Paradoxically, but Russian neo-Nazism improved the president's declining ratings ahead of the election, while Putin's ratings, which were high already, have surged even higher." (Sakartvelos Respublica, October 18.)
AZERBAIJAN
The opposition press accuses leaders of the country's democratic parties of their reluctance to maintain contacts with Russian democratic forces. "It is no secret that while relations between Azeri and Russian authorities are close, our country's democratic forces have chilly relations with the northern neighbor. In the last ten years, democratic parties' leaders have not visited Russia. They prefer to go to Western countries and to develop ties with their political leaders." (Yeni Musavat, October 21.)
The press accuses the Russian leadership of patronizing radical neo-Nazi youth movements. "Have ultranationalists gained support in the Kremlin? Skinhead terror is sweeping over Russia... It has become clear that ultranationalists enjoy very broad support in the high echelons of power... On November 4, when Russia celebrates its main national holiday, Day of People's Unity, ultra-right and nationalist groups intend to organize their Russian March just like last year... The Russian capital is getting ready for a large Nazi movement... It will be an event organized by nationalist and, in fact, Nazi movements. (Ekho, October 20.)
KAZAKHSTAN
A number of analytical publications discuss the recent nuclear bomb test in North Korea. The country will cease its blackmailing policies as soon as Russia and China take a tougher stand, experts say. "It has still not been proved whether there was a nuclear explosion in North Korea, as it could have been an experimental explosive... North Korea's attempt to make the test seem more serious is pure blackmail, in which Kim Il-sung has been engaged for a long time... If Russia and China take a tough stand tomorrow, North Korea will have to comply, because it is a subsidized state, primarily by China. And this powerful donor does not like even the slightest prospect of Pyongyang having nuclear weapons." (Liter.kz, October 19.)
Mass media point out that ethnic discrimination by employers in Russia is becoming political. "The fight against 'unwelcome guests' in Russia is turning into political persecution... According to different estimates, Russia has from 5 to 15 million illegal immigrants, and only about 700,000 foreigners have the required work permit... But what is curious is that many of those lucky permit owners have not been able to find jobs recently. A secretary on the other end of the line would ask about the work permit and then about the citizenship. Upon hearing "Ukraine" she would say that the company was not allowed to employ Georgians and Ukrainians." (Liter.kz, October 24.)
UZBEKISTAN
The press is concerned about the plans of the Movement Against Illegal Immigration to organize the so-called Russian March. The movement is believed to have influential backers in the Kremlin who share its nationalist ideas. "Day of People's Unity, to be celebrated in Russia on November 4, has every chance of becoming a special day for the Movement... It plans to organize the so-called Russian March in many Russian cities... The organizers have the support of a powerful group in the Kremlin administration that share nationalist beliefs... The idea is simply to take advantage of xenophobic sentiments in society, as the majority of the population approves of ethnical cleansing." (Fergana.Ru, October 23.)
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