June 28, 2012

EU’s Dilemma and Russia’s Plan B for Europe

September 8, 2011 - 17:21 | Irina Severin
By Irina Severin

Moldova as Starting Point

The Polish Eastern Partnership initiative supported by Sweden and later by other EU countries was a step meant to bolster European ambitions of Moldova and Ukraine. But putting Moldova and Ukraine in the same context with Azerbaijan, Georgia, Belarus, and Armenia – countries that except Georgia either don’t have European aspirations or they are not relevant in the existing conjuncture – diminishes the appeal of the Eastern Partnership for both countries.
What distinguishes Moldova from other Eastern partnership countries besides its small dimensions and geographical approximation to the EU is its ethnic, linguistic, historical and cultural approximation to Romania, which already is a member of the EU. This particularity is a clear entitlement for Moldova to become one day a member of the EU.

June 14, 2012

М.Обиход: Тимошенко за ментальністю нагадує привокзального "наперсника"

М.Обиход: Тимошенко за ментальністю нагадує привокзального "наперсника". УНН - Українські Національні Новини
Середа, 13 червня, 2012 • Олена Архіпова
М.Обиход: Тимошенко за ментальністю нагадує привокзального "наперсника"
КИЇВ. 14 червня. УНН. Київський районний суд Харкова 25 червня проведе засідання у справі колишнього прем'єр-міністра Юлії Тимошенко щодо порушень у діяльності корпорації "Єдині енергетичні системи України", яку вона очолювала в 1995-1997 роках. Екс-прем'єру висунене обвинувачення  за трьома пунктами: організація розкрадання бюджетних коштів і замах на розкрадання коштів із держбюджету на суму 25 млн грн; ухилення корпорації ЄЕСУ від сплати податків на загальну суму 4 млн грн; використання платіжної картки іноземної компанії, із рахунку якої Тимошенко використала майже 1 млн доларів на розрахунки у дорогих готелях і ресторанах, не сплативши податків із цієї суми. Про те, як починалась справа ЄЕСУ та як її було "поховано" в інтерв’ю УНН розповів колишній заступник Генерального прокурора України Микола Обиход, який з 1995 року очолював управління з розслідування особливо важливих справ ГПУ та особисто керував розслідуванням.

June 8, 2012

Russia and China - Partnership of "Rabbit and Boa"

Russia-China Anti-Western Friendship Leads to Global Chaos and Russia's Takeover 

By Irina Severin | 07.06.2012


Putin's three-day visit to China after his demonstrative refusal to participate in the Summit of the developed countries in the United States says that he does have something to discuss with the Chinese leadership. Moreover, this is an opportunity to demonstrate to the West that Putin has an alternative. There is no doubt that he feels more comfortable in China, where nobody recalls human rights and democracy, deemed by Putin unnecessary "ideologization" of relations with the West.

Russia and China signed a dozen papers during Putin’s visit. But it is unlikely any breakthrough or making public the agreements. In the energy domain, which is a priority for Russia, Beijing is willing to pay only half of the price for Russian gas of that the EU countries pay. China's proposition to invest in the development of the Far East includes a precondition that the created by Chinese companies employ only Chinese, who should obtain the freedom of movement to Russia.

It is unlikely that Beijing had softened its stance now. The third comeback of Putin as the president of Russia caused a visible disappointment in the West, leading to a cooling between the West and Russia and bringing the relations to a new historic low. The demands of China, carefully following the developments around Russia, only grow. 

Putin has repeatedly acknowledged that, unlike the Western negotiators, the Chinese are tough negotiators who are not inclined to give in. Russia, demonstrating chutzpah in dealing with the predictable West, in talks with China, has to keep mom, smile, and bow in response to Beijing’s unshakable position. 

Moscow fakes the feeling of being threatened by the win-win-oriented West. But genuinely fears the Chinese, whose stratagem-like approach was cultivated for centuries as a military and state valor. 

"Creeping Takeover" of Russia as prospect of partnership

Russia is not more China's communist "big brother." It is not a source of 'scientific and technological progress' for Beijing or a successful economic model. 

For China, Russia is a neighboring country whose natural resources are enough to satisfy China’s needs for several decades ahead, given the appetite of Chinese industry. 

Russia possesses the vast vacant territories in the Far East, which China views as its former lands. From a political perspective, Russia is a convenient tool to fight "the dictate of the West."

Putin should understand that the partnership with China on its terms means for Moscow a "creeping takeover" by the disciplined and well-organized Chinese. There is no need even for special arrangements. Russia's corruption and lack of control over the territory are enough for the Chinese to gradually capture them. 
Cherkizovsky Market case as a turning point

Beijing's tough reaction to the closure of the Cherkizovsky Market in Moscow, where about 60 000 Chinese worked, showed that the Kremlin doesn’t fully control the situation in Moscow, not only in the Far East, where the Chinese presence is more significant. 

Moscow had to give in to the Beijing pressure and offer the Chinese the best trading platforms in Moscow in exchange for the Cherkizovsky market closure. Which was designed as a way to combat the massive smuggling by the Chinese and their overwhelming presence on the market. 

All this can hardly signify a "thaw in relations between the two giants," as reported on Russia's visit to China by Western newspapers. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, whose summit occurred these days, only intensified the competition between Russia and China for influence over the former Soviet republics in Central Asia, which the Kremlin regards as its backyard.

Moscow threatens to abandon the US dollar in trade with China

Russia's threat to withdraw from the dollar and move to contracts with China in local currencies, in practice, can only mean a shift to the Chinese Yuan, strengthening the Chinese position and making the Yuan a regional currency. Moscow and the Russian rouble would win nothing.

Until now, Russia abstained from Chinese investment proposals. However, worsened relations with the West and falling oil prices could make Putin give up on the Chinese conditions. 

This would let Putin strengthen his regime inside the country and continue increasing his covert penetration in the West – destabilizing Western democracies, corrupting the media and replacing Western elites with loyal politicians willing to obey Moscow.

Putinization of the West

The West has noticed the "Putinization of Hungary and Ukraine," the countries’ authorities copying Putin's rule model. However, the West does not see the rapidly gaining strength Putinization of the West itself, where the West is a passive object of Putin's transformations. 

The process is persistently ignored by the West because of the peculiarities of the Western political culture. It is considered bad manners to discuss what is known as the "hidden agenda" and what, in essence, is the basis of the foreign policy of the former KGB agent, now president of Russia, Vladimir Putin. Those who try to attract attention to the damaging processes are dubbed conspiracy theorists and ostracized. 

'Putinizaton' of the West is carried covertly, following the Russian “accomplished fact” approach – kept under wraps until the critical mass of change achieves the point of no return. In particular, this explains Putin’s reluctance to visit the U.S., where the "creeping Putinization" is especially advanced.

"New geopolitical reality" is on

Bringing to power the passionate fringe politicians loyal to Putin, whose support converts them to the political mainstream, could take Putinisation from the covert phase into the open.

An example of the transition from a 'creeping Putinisation" into the open is Greece. Emerged out of nowhere after a continued destabilization in Greece, the radical left SYRIZA ranked second in the May elections and promises to lead in the June reelections, threatening further political and economic upheaval in Europe. 

The leader of SYRIZA, Alexis Tsipras' vows to cancel the Greece agreement with the EU and the IMF. The moves are the basis of Russian foreign policy, actively promoted not only in Greece but also in other countries to make them dependent on Russia. 

Bringing into power loyal political outsiders in the most influential Western countries would lead to a situation when nobody would challenge Putin on human rights or even mention democracy in relations with Russia or China. 

In essence, this is the "new geopolitical reality', coming of which the leaders of Russia and China announced after the first day of talks in Beijing.

Syria as a symbol of Russia and China's "world leadership"

Undermining the West, which could contribute to a real political and economic modernization of Russia and strengthen its sovereignty, Putin, in fact, serves the interests of China, sacrificing Russia and the Russians to the potential dominance of the giant neighbor.

However, the problem is that China is far from being able to provide world leadership – a burden that is now carrying the USA. 

Leadership involves much more than the Chinese ability to generate economic growth based on Western money, technologies, and Western consumption.

A clear result of the Russian-Chinese "leadership" today is the situation in Syria, which offers a preview of the potential of their leadership for the future.

Putin's partnership with Beijing, based on the anti-Western ideology, leads to chaos on the global scale, the first victim of which, ironically, will be Russia itself. 

The Law of the Jungle, as a practical expression of the Russian "Sovereignty Ideology," replacing the international order led by the Western democracies, won't protect Russia from the stronger neighbor.



June 7, 2012

Россия и Китай - партнерство "кролика и удава"

7.06.2012 | Irina Severin | Russia eXaminer

Трехдневный визит Путина в Китай после демонстративного отказа от участия в Саммите развитых стран в США говорит о том, что Путину действительно есть что обсудить с китайским руководством.  Кроме того, Путин демонстрирует Западу, что у него есть альтернатива. Несомненно и то, что он гораздо комфортнее чувтсвует себя там, где не вспоминают про права человека и демократию - все то, что Путин называет ненужной "идеологизацией" в отношениях с Западом.
 
Россия и Китай намерены подписать полтора десятка документов по итогам визита.  Но вряд ли стоит расчитывать на какой-то прорыв или публикацию достигнутых соглашений. Так, в энергетической сфере Китай готов предложить лишь  половину цены за газ, от той, что платят европейцы. Также Китай в течение уже нескольких лет предлагает России инвестировать средства в развитие Дального Востока, но при  условии, что на создаваемых предприятиях и разрабатываемых месторождениях будут работать исключительно китайцы, которым должна быть обеспечена свобода передвижения.

June 5, 2012

"Закон о языках" - политтехнология Москвы по устранению Януковича

 Новости - Зеркало недели. Украина

 "Закон о языках" - политтехнология Москвы по устранению Януковича от власти и расколу Украины. Этим законом Янукович в сущности делигитимизирует себя как президент в половине Украины в обмен на призрачные обещания Москвы пересмотреть контракт на газ.

Под Раду прибыли около 20 автобусов с милицией и сотрудниками «Беркута». Милиция начала вытеснять участников митинга из-под стен парламента.

Фото pravda.com.ua
Милиция вытесняет участников митинга под Верховной Радой против законопроекта о принципах государственной языковой политики, инициаторами которого являются народные депутаты от Партии регионов Вадим Колесниченко и Сергей Кивалов.

June 2, 2012

Flashback: Лавров радить "засвоїти всім": договори щодо газу ставити під сумнів неправомірно

МЗС РФ заявляє, що договори Росії і України щодо газу не потребують «зовнішнього аудиту», а ставити їх під сумнів неправомірно.
Про це йдеться у коментарі МЗС Росії щодо заяви міністра закордонних справ Республіки Польща Радослава СІКОРСЬКОГО про те, що Єврокомісія могла б провести «певний» аудит російсько-українських домовленостей у газовій сфері.
Російські дипломати відзначають, що відносини між ВАТ «Газпром» і НАК «Нафтогаз України» у питаннях поставок російського природного газу українським споживачам регулюються чинним контрактом купівлі-продажу природного газу в 2009-2019 рр., укладеним 19 січня 2009 року.

Russia Lays Siege to Ukraine

 RIA Novosti
12:45 17/05/20
By Fyodor Lukyanov

The presidents of Russia and Ukraine have met for the first time since Vladimir Putin’s re-election. This is a strange period in bilateral relations: nothing seems to be happening and there are no public conflicts between the two countries, yet occasional statements coming from both sides clearly point to mutual dissatisfaction and strain in the relationship.