Opinion & analysis: Russia rains on the West's parade

Opinion & analysis: Russia rains on the West's parade
RIA Novosti - July 26, 2007 (21:26)

MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Dmitry Kosyrev) - International relations are rather like a family picnic. No matter what a good time everyone is having, there is always some naysayer bent on spoiling everyone's fun with his criticism and complaints. Many Western pundits and politicos are now portraying Russia in this light.

Moscow has been obstinate in refusing to cooperate with the West on missile defense, Kosovo and an important arms-control treaty, Democratic Congressman Tom Lantos, chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said at a recent hearing on Russia's policies towards Europe. He accused Russia of obstructing Balkan peace efforts by refusing to join hands with the rest of the world in determining the final status of Kosovo.

This comment was made against the backdrop of heated debates in the United States about its future role in the world. To all appearances, Mr. Lantos wants Democrats and Republicans to trade places in being the most outspoken on international affairs. With the bitter experience of their rule and the public's response to it, Republicans have recently started to avoid harsh statements and pay attention to their country's partners. Democrats, on the other hand-at least, Lantos-appear to think that America ought to return to the rhetoric of the 1990s.

Lantos, a generally blunt man, is the most straightforward of all in talking about what America dislikes about changes in its own global standing, as well as the increasing importance of Russia, China and the Middle East.

Few could be so outspoken on the American position toward Kosovo. Russia is threatening to veto United Nations resolutions that would authorize independence for Kosovo, something that, according to Lantos, the Serbian province has deserved for a long time.

There are two simple reasons why Russia objects to the Martti Ahtisaari plan, which has served as the basis for the resolutions on Kosovo independence that have been submitted to the UN one after another.

First, crime shouldn't pay. The present-day Kosovo community, of which ethnic Albanians make up 90%, has achieved its current status through many years of de facto military occupation of Serb-populated lands. Albanians joined together in a disciplined, armed underground with its own agenda. Their terrorists subjected Serbs to genocide, forcing them to flee Kosovo. They ransacked Christian churches and perpetrated other outrages as they set up a terrorist state within a sovereign country.

The United Nations would hardly be playing a worthy role by giving its blessing to the final stage of that plot. True, since the 1950s, the UN has supported the creation of ever-new independent states-thanks to which its present membership is approaching 200. Many of them gained independence through armed struggle-but that does not mean that any violent force can aspire to having its own state merely because it has been killing and harassing defenseless civilians.

The world knows what happens when such forces come to power-it is enough to recall East Timor, whose independence from Indonesia was achieved by a terrorist group at the turn of the century. That was a lawful victory, achieved by means of all the requisite United Nations procedures. Now, East Timor is subjected to seemingly endless bloodshed because the terrorists who won its independence cannot put an end to chaos and establish a viable state. Will the UN repeat the same mistake?

Second, we can argue at length about whether Russia is a European country or an Asian one, or something in between. Whatever we believe, however, it is true that Russia borders on European countries to the west, and European affairs are of vital importance to it. Russia does not want to see Europe thrown into chaos by the legitimization of terrorists.

Congressman Lantos thinks Russia is holding Europe hostage with its oil and gas supplies. But then, Russia is a hostage to Europe for the same reason. It is only natural, then, that suicidal tendencies in European politics, encouraged by non-European countries, are cause for alarm in Moscow. Russia hates to spoil the fun, but the West must be warned that it is headed for a catastrophe.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.