Analysts say Vladimir Putin again showed he has the whip, causing a market collapse and forcing businessmen to remember of the "YUKOS case" with just a few words. "Uttering just a few phrases through clenched teeth, Putin reminded investors of the risk threatening any investment in Russia"; "The Mechel case shows that ex-president Putin, who formally resigned in May, is still the man whose speech is listened to by foreign investors" (Postimees, July 31)
Eyewitnesses say Russian President Dmitry Medvedev did not react to what was happening, though he had said more than once that excessive state interference in private business is unacceptable. It is notable that Medvedev never commented on the scandal, and therefore Russia's stock market continues to deflate. Previous statements by Medvedev indicate he does not support direct state interference with the economy, which is sometimes practiced by Putin." (Eesti Paevaleht, July 30) "Putin talks, investors listen, and Medvedev does nothing, despite an earlier promise to refrain from interfering with the economy and to prove that Russia is friendly towards investors." (Eesti Paevaleht, July 31)
Mass media say the deceased Alexander Solzhenitsyn's slogan "Don't live in hypocrisy!" still hasn't gone out of date. "The Soviet regime fell into oblivion, but the Russian authorities' collusion with hypocrisy and violence continues to exist in different forms, making Solzhenitsyn's slogan as vital as ever." (Postimees, August 5)
LATVIA
Mass media say, Russia thinks it is surrounded by enemies, just like the Soviet Union. "Russia is worried about military threats, feeling as though it is surrounded by enemies who plan to subdue the country economically, politically, militarily and geographically ... Russian leaders have always used the image of a foreign enemy to strengthen authoritarian rule. Today it's NATO again, just as in the Soviet era." (Latvijas avize, July 31)
Some commentators believe the "Mechel case" was caused by Russian authorities' desire to find new sources of funding after the lowering of taxes on the oil industry. "It was not by accident that using offshore zones for price setting has been raised again. In 2007, the probable effects of raising taxes on the metallurgical industry were researched. Perhaps it was an attempt to find ways to compensate for cutting the value added tax and oil industry levies. Russia currently has three candidates for additional taxation - the timber industry (which is difficult to manage because it comprises too many players), gas (but Gazprom is too important a player to be affected) and metallurgy." (Telegraf, July 7)
LITHUANIA
The press is engaged in a heated discussion of Tartu University research release, dismissing the uniqueness of the so-called "Russian spirit" in relation to genes and personality. The exceptionality of the Russian soul is seen by commentators only as the ability to "drink huge amounts of vodka." "Scientists of Tartu University attempted to find out, if the so-called "Russian spirit" really exists." They concluded that Russians in no way differ from people of other nationalities in terms of neither genes nor personality... The research dismisses the myth of the mystery of the Russian soul." (Lietuvos Zinios, July 30) "There is no special "Russian soul" and no "Russian spirit..." But we can't ignore the Russians' ability to drink huge amounts of vodka on an empty stomach and then to fight with best friends, sometimes to death, only to repent sincerely afterwards, grieving over what was done like no other nationality can". (Delfi.lt, August 1)
The death of Alexander Solzhenitsyn is viewed by some journalists as a tragedy for both Russia and Lithuania, as the writer used to make donations to support the Lithuanian human rights organizations. "Solzhenitsyn paid attention to Lithuanians. He used his foundations to provide aid to residents of Kaunas, who participated in the human rights movement and the Lithuanian Helsinki Group's activities." (Respublika, August 5)
BELARUS
Commentators share the opinion that First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko of Belarus, who demanded an adjustment to the gas price agreement with Moscow in connection with a rise in global oil prices, was inspired to do so by President Alexander Lukashenko. "This action was not prompted by the Belarusian government, but by the Belarusian leader. If Lukashenko set Semashko against Russia in this way, this means he has some trump cards... In reality the gas agreement was politically motivated and therefore it can only be changed for political reasons...Russia has no reliable partners or allies in the post-Soviet area. The only possible partner is Belarus... but this would cost Russia a maximum of $4-5 billion. Russia's government purchased shares of American mortgage companies worth $70 billion which it may lose. In comparison, $4 to 5 billion spent for Belarus' loyalty is nothing (Hartia'97, August 4)
Two companies, Russia's AtomStroyExport and France's Areva will take part in a tender for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Belarus. Local experts say choosing the Russian company may cause a deterioration of Belarus' relations with the EU. "Russia has been aggressively pragmatic in bilateral economic relations lately, but in attitude, Russia is closer to the Belarusian leaders than the Western countries with their constant demands for democracy and human rights. Choosing the eastern contractor, though, will deprive Belarus of a chance to build a bridge to Europe." (Belorusskiye Novosti, August 3)
UKRAINE
Observers believe Russia and Ukraine have used the 1020th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity in Ancient Rus as the pretext for a fresh squabble. "Ukrainian and Russian politicians have hit upon another excuse to stage a petty row ... Moscow has set in motion its entire inventory of measures - from a raid by radicals on the Ukrainian Embassy in Moscow to a Foreign Ministry statement that Kiev is disrespectful to Russian clergy. ...Until Kiev and Moscow agree on supplies and transit of Russian hydrocarbons, politicians will find dozens of reasons for violent public quarrels." (Gazeta, August 2)
The press describes Russia as a barrier to Ukraine's integration with the European Union and NATO. "The prospects for integration are linked not only with partner and allied relations with the member states of these international alliances, but also with Russia's policy of neo-imperialism or revenge-seeking;" "Moscow has been able to create a super network of agents ... which feeds Russia's influence on Ukraine's political process and personnel policy ... This system is powerful enough to drastically review Ukraine's foreign policy ... [This] has led to a paralysis of Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration policy." (Den, July 31)
Other writers worry that Ukraine is over-dependent on the U.S. for many key issues of internal and external policy, including Russian-Ukrainian relations. "De jure, Ukraine is a sovereign state ... But in political reality it is not. All key decisions are taken in the Washington Politburo ... All basic problems - NATO, a common economic space with Russia, the status of the Russian language and Orthodox unity between Russian and Ukrainian believers - have two perspectives: one shared by the Ukrainian people, and the other by the Washington Politburo. And on all these issues the Ukrainian president sides with the Washington Politburo, rather than the people," (Stolichnye Novosti, July 31)
MOLDOVA
In order to step up pressure on Chisinau in talks on the Transdnestr conflict, Moscow has inspired recent separatist attacks in Gagauzia [an autonomous area in southern Moldova], according to the opposition papers. "Protests staged by separatists in Komrat have been inspired by Moscow and camouflaged with anti-Communist slogans ... Their aims are to foment antagonistic feelings between the ruling Communist Party and separatist leaders, put greater pressure on the authorities, and exploit the situation for further talks on the Transdnestr issue." (Flux, August 1)
ARMENIA
Journalists fear that Gazprom will exert its utmost pressure on all post-Soviet republics to make them pay for gas at European prices. For Armenia, which shared the assets of some strategic companies with Russia in order to receive energy resources at lower prices than other CIS countries, such a turn of events is undesirable, because the republic has nothing left to bargain with. "There is a view that the holding will exert its best efforts to make all CIS countries in the next two to three years switch to world prices for gas supplied to them, leaving transportation charges as they are. Gazprom is forcing the changeover to market prices with all its partners that have enjoyed reduced rates until now ... The countries which pump gas to [European] consumers - Ukraine and Belarus - are at an advantage compared with other CIS neighbors, because they can dictate their terms to Gazprom ... Armenia is more handicapped in its bargaining. The country has no transit pipelines and a considerable part of the Armenian assets of most interest to Gazprom and Russian capital has already changed hands and is controlled by Russian companies," (Ayots Ashkhar, August 5)
GEORGIA
The mass media are painting an exceptionally unappealing image of Russia, picturing the country as a cynical and cruel aggressor that has put itself into a corner. "Among all countries, Russia is currently in the biggest deadlock. Russia's officials cannot [simultaneously] accept the independence of Ossetia and Abkhazia and speak on the status of Kosovo, since they are perfectly aware that this will work against them. They cannot start negotiations with Georgia on returning these territories [South Ossetia and Abkhazia] to Russia, which would not be an ideal way out but would perfectly help to buy time for Russia. In that case, Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili would have nothing to do but give up the territories, which will certainly not satisfy him - so it will lead to war in some form or another." (Pankisi.info, August 1)
"Russia is enjoying a 'cash cow' period, with unfavorable times having changed for the better thanks to world prices for energy resources. But how and for what purposes is Russia using the opportunities that have arisen? Today, the country is on the brink of the new Caucasian war that may eliminate all the benefits the country is receiving from the current economic situation. Attacking the Georgian wolf, the Russian bear will inevitably get into a Caucasian steel trap. (Georgia Online, August 3)
AZERBAIJAN
The media have shown interest in Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's initiative to create a new defense alliance in Europe. This way Moscow is attempting to exploit its huge ambitions and thus weaken the influence of NATO and the OSCE, experts say.
"The idea is that such a defense alliance would become a substitute for NATO, which would eliminate the major discrepancy in current relations between Russia and the West. The biggest problem is the Western countries' refusal to cooperate with Russia on reconsidering the global security system after the U.S.S.R.'s collapse. Now, with the Russian economy having revived after the chaos of the 1990s, Moscow is seeking new ways of exerting its clout. Russia is viewing itself as the biggest country which has managed to become a bridge between Europe and Asia and has enough strength and abilities to win a global influence." (Zerkalo, July 30)
"Moscow says it intends to humanize its policy in some way... But actually, the Kremlin is only changing its mask, and this is not promising anything good." (Express, August 1)
KAZAKHSTAN
According to observers, Kazakhstan has been showing its support to the U.S. on all key issues of global politics, however the closer cooperation of the two countries is restricted by the political closeness of Astana and Moscow. "Astana is supporting the United States on all major international issues. It has sent its military contingent to participate in U.S. military operations in Iraq and is willing to help the global community by assisting in financial backing of the operation on restoring the ruined economy in Afghanistan. What else does the U.S. need to consider Kazakhstan as its 'close and brotherly' country? There is one more thing which Americans closely follow in Kazakhstan's international policy and which they will dislike and still find irritating even if Kazakhstan lets U.S. businesses into every project and keeps supporting the States on the international political scene. These are Kazakhstan's relations with Russia, whose presence in Kazakhstan is viewed by the U.S. as exorbitant. The United States intends to further restrict Russia's influence upon Kazakhstan. Due to Kazakhstan's close ties with Russia, the U.S. establishment views the former as a "good and beneficial but not quite reliable partner", with Moscow able to put pressure on its policy at any moment. (Delovaya Nedelya, July 30)
TURKMENISTAN
The mass media's attention is focused on the relations between Russia and Turkmenistan, with the issue of the price for natural gas from Central Asia being the most important.
"A preventive call from the Kremlin has resulted in a top-level meeting involving the head of the Russian gas giant, who has not received any invitations to the Presidential palace in Ashgabat lately. At the end of the past week, the Turkmen President [Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov] and Russia's Gazprom CEO [Alexei Miller] have agreed on the principles of price formation for Turkmen gas, with the Turkmen side proposing the scheme of sale and purchase for its gas. ...Moscow wants Russia's oil and gas giant to monopolize all Turkmen gas exported to the north, which lets Ashgabat set its own terms that the Kremlin has to take into consideration. The Turkmen President's likable and seemingly promising smile is nothing but a feature of top-level diplomacy hiding a solid intention to pursue his own interests." (Gondugar, August 2)
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