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Borys Kosarev: Modernist Kharkiv, 1915-1931 at The Ukrainian Museum thru May 2, 2012
Posted by claudia on January 03, 2006 at 12:06:04:
In Reply to: S Novym Godom posted by Mir on December 31, 2005 at 20:37:39:
3. THE WEST MUST RESIST RUSSIA'S BULLYING
EDITORIAL: Telegraph.co.uk, London, United Kingdom, Tue, Jan 3, 2006
The dispute between Russia and Ukraine is about more than the price of gas.
By raising the price of 1,000 cubic metres from $50 to $230, Gazprom -
Russia's state-owned supplier and, therefore, a political tool of Vladimir
Putin - has sought an economic revenge on a former Soviet republic that has
dared to declare its diplomatic independence from Russia and to look towards
western Europe.
To cut off the gas supply to Ukraine in the depths of winter has been an
invitation to the Ukrainians to divert supplies of gas meant for several
European countries. Germany takes 30 per cent of its gas from Russia. Its
Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has already warned Moscow to act "responsibly".
France, which obtains a quarter of its gas from that supplier, has so far
remained discreet - an attitude reminiscent of Mr Chirac's uncritical
attitude to Saddam Hussein, with whom his country spent so much time
breaking oil sanctions.
President Putin's promise to pump extra gas to Europe in order to make up
any shortfall shows cunning rather than penitence: the West must now decide
whether to raise the tone against Russia or let its bullying and aggression
go largely unremarked.
The methods of gangsterism and blackmail now being used by Gazprom are
reminiscent of the Soviet era. They are entirely at odds with the country
President Putin would like to claim Russia now is and in which alleged guise
it has, since Sunday, chaired the G8 group of industrial democracies.
The West has to tell Russia that, plainly and simply, its conduct is
unacceptable if it wishes to remain part of the club of civilised nations.
Although Britain takes no gas from Russia, it too must speak up for
stability in the former Soviet Union and not be seen to condone the
punishment by Russia of its former satellites. Mr Blair used his influence
with President Putin to secure deals for BP to extract energy supplies from
Russia on a long-term basis.
He was right to note that Britain's self-sufficiency is over and that such
supplies must be secured from Russia as well as elsewhere. However, for
Russia to use its natural resources as a means of behaving ruthlessly and
unscrupulously with its neighbours is a medieval tactic that cannot be
condoned in the modern world.
Mr Blair should not hesitate to take the lead in applying pressure on Russia
to behave itself. Russia has more to lose by being driven out of polite
international society than the rest of the world does and the ambitious
President Putin knows it.
The West, for its part, must realise that if blackmail is paid once it will
be sought again; and a second Cold War, this time economic, is the last
thing the West needs now. -30-
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