Pat Buchanan - To Die for Tallinn
From Today's RCP
Quote:
To Die For Tallinn
By Patrick Buchanan
All week, young toughs in Moscow have besieged the Estonian embassy to harass Ambassador Marina Kaljurand. Her bodyguards had to use a mace-like spray to drive back the thugs, who call Estonia a "fascist country." Estonian diplomats and their families are being pulled out of Moscow and sent home.
Relations between the countries are about to rupture, if the Kremlin does not reign in the bully-boys.
Behind this nasty quarrel is the decision by Estonia to move the giant statue of a Red Army soldier, and the remains of Soviet soldiers, from the center of its capital, Tallinn, to a military cemetery. In Tallinn, patriots and nationalists have clashed with citizens of Russian ancestry over the perceived insult to Mother Russia and the "liberators" of Estonia from the Nazis.
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Why should this issue be of interest to America?
If President Putin decide the Estonians need a lesson, and sends troops to teach it, the United States, under NATO, would have to treat Russian intervention in Estonia as an attack upon the United States, and declare war on behalf of Estonia.
More...
Kaur, this is the type of thing I was talking about; at least in part. Getting Estonia's "message" out is crucial as is the use of information shaping operations to avoid destabilizations.
Marc
The Canucks are also on our side !
Marc, I am very glad to see the Canadians are joining our party :)
Quote:
Hon. Bryon Wilfert (Richmond Hill, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, we know a lot more, given the Ottawa convention as a good example.
Tensions between these countries are escalating. The Estonian ambassador was roughed up in Moscow this week. This is a serious issue. If the government is committed to having Canada play a role in international affairs, and so far the track record has not been promising, we need to take action immediately.
Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs take control in his department, take action, and support Estonia against Russian intimidation as other NATO countries have already done?
Hon. Peter MacKay (Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, CPC):
By all means, Mr. Speaker, we stand very strongly with the people of Estonia in any kind of intimidation from Russia or any other country.
I would have the member opposite know that I spoke directly to the Estonian foreign minister when we attended NATO meetings. We are very aware of the world as it unfolds in terms of these tensions. We work directly with our allies. We work directly to promote democracy, democratic practices and the promotion of human rights.
Jeez, I love the way they talk in Canada :cool:
OK, no more beer for Kaur
I willing concur, and will not allow Kaur to drink more than two pints at any given time in a two-hour period on any Thursday...ever :D
Russia demands investigation into rights violations in Tallinn
Following the singular death of a Russian citizen (20 year old Dmitri Ganin) in Tallinn during the riots and upheaval, Russian Officials have called for an urgent investigation .
Meanwhile Dmitri's mother, having just buried her son told Nikolai Bondarenko, Russian Counselor in the Estonia City of Narva "don't use my son's name for your own interests".
More here if you read Estonian !
And, for those who don't speak Estonian yet, here's a translation:
Yesterday (03 May), 20 year-old Russian citizen Dmitri Ganin was buried at the Mustvee cemetery. The Russian Counsel, members of the Öise Color Guard and Russian TV were also in attendance.
The young man died on the operating table early morning on 27th of April at the Mustamäe hospital, after being stabbed on the evening of the 26th during riots and looting in Tallinn.
According to reports from the Estonian Prosecutor’s office, items stolen from stores during the riots and looting were found in Dmitri’s possession. His involvement in the looting is clearly recorded from store video cameras. Other items found in his possession link Dmitri to the destruction and looting of a kiosk around the corner from Freedom Square.
Nevertheless, there were hundreds of locals in attendance at the cemetery. Dmitri’s friends, school mates and teachers, Russian Counsel Nikolai Bondarenko, members of the Öise Color Guard and 10’s of Russian TV journalist.
Dmitri’s mother called the politicians to the side.
Marianne Tarelkina, former director of the Mustvee gymnasium said the funeral was heart-felt and peaceful. Marianne was of Dmitri’s teachers when she taught Estonian language at the Russian gymnasium. Among the grieving congregation were both young and old Estonians and Russians. In Marianne’s opinion, the Russian journalists were unable to get interviews from Dmitri’s friends or acquaintances. Dmitri’s schoolmates sent the journalist away without responding. The young were also reluctant to speak with Estonian journalists. “Perfect strangers were telling me that all those reporters and TV cameras on added confusion to the funeral.”
Estonian TV3’s "News at Seven" however caught an interview with a Russian journalist and one of Dmitri’s former work colleagues. “That man there lied” telling the Russian journalist that Estonian police began the bottle and stone throwing by throwing the ‘first punches’.
Mustvee’s town Mayor spoke about the town’s people and their demeanor in front of the media. There’s both disappointment in and fear of peace officers following previous reports of children and women being subjected to unprovoked beatings.
However, Dmitri’s mother applauded Marianne Tarelkina’s demeanor.
The Russian Counselor gave his speech and fortunately did not stray into politics. With that, Dmitri’s mother thanked the town’s people and those who supported her. She continued that her son was a local, he had Estonian and Russian friends, and she requested not to use my her son's name for their own interests.
One of Dmitri’s 8th grade class teachers wrote “I was standing just behind the Russian Counselor at the time. I saw how he twisted his neck and shook his head around. Thereafter he departed the town of Mustvee”.
Just like Jeltsin’s funeral
Another teacher addressed the congregation regarding conversations she had with Dmitri’s classmates. “I spoke to Dmitri’s classmates and we concluded, that if Dmitri had known how much ‘crap’ his red passport and Russian citizenship would later cause him, he would never have wanted a passport at 16 years of age (much like most of his classmates then).” The director opined, “Dmitri would have certainly waited for his Estonian citizenship.”
Jaan Rajuküla, Mustvee’s Russian gymnasium Director spoke about Dmitri’s local burial being customary of the Orthodox religion. “Beginning Dmitri’s final trip starting at the holy church and ending with a send of by Dmitri’s classmates to his final resting place. There, a clergyman speaks and the process ends placing the casket is brought into the cemetery where once more a clergyman speaks. The congregation could be several kilometers long, but until such time as all are present, the casket will not enter the cemetery grounds. That is correct and customary.”
"Much like Jeltsin’s funeral, few were missing before the casket entered the cemetery. The Öise Color Guards, Russian State representatives, and an awful lot of journalists were present. Jeltsin’s burial and ceremony were beautiful and absent of political speeches” Rahuküla commented.
He also emphasized that there was no division of people here. “Who’s an Estonian or Russian; both got along at Dmitri’s send off. Dmitri grew up here just like everyone else did”, he added.
National Bolshevik members caught trying to enter Latvia illegally
Estonian Border Guard have turned many of these upstanding individuals away in the last two weeks, so seems only fitting to come in from the South. Too bad, looks like they'll be late for May 9th in Estonia :D
May 06, 2007
From wire reports
Quote:
Latvian border guards detained two Russian nationals early today for crossing the Latvian-Russian border illegally, BNS reported on May 4.
Latvian State Border Guard chief Gunars Dabolins told BNS that the detained Russians, aged 37 and 22, are residents of Moscow and both have higher education. In Dabolins' words, they did not hide their membership in Russia's National Bolshevik organization.
Sorry, Vladamir, but no apologies from Estonia !
Well, so much for allowing a 'face saving' way out :D
Bush backs Estonia in Russian dispute
Quote:
Estonia will not apologise to Moscow for the removal of a Soviet war memorial, the Baltic state's president said on Friday as the US supported his stand.
President George W Bush invited Toomas Hendrik Ilves to the White House in a show of solidarity in which Nato and the European Union have urged Russia to stop intimidating its tiny neighbour.
Estonian residents nervously await May 9
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As life returns to normal in the Estonian capital more than a week after riots hit the city center, the largest immediate concern among residents is whether fresh unrest will come on the 9th of May, the day Russians traditionally celebrate the Soviet Union’s victory in World War II.
The Russian Foreign Ministry already summoned ambassadors from Germany, Portugal and the EU to criticize the EU for failure to react to removal of the Soviet Army monument in Estonia. A tad strange for me (as an American) to even comprehend - I had no idea 'monument relocation' was governed by the EU :rolleyes:
The local and national police appear confident, now backed by security companys, military forces and locals who previously attended a "neighborhood watch" course.
Quote:
In an address to the public on May 6, Estonian police chief Raivo Aeg said that the police would continue to operate at a higher degree of readiness in the coming days.
"I wish to assure you that the police are fully ready to maintain public order in the new week," Aeg said. "All Estonian law enforcement bodies will jointly work to anticipate provocations and ensure a peaceful atmosphere. Instructions have been given to the police not to let themselves be provoked but to fix all violations."
The Viru detached infantry battalion based in the northeast Estonian regional capital Johvi, a city which also saw rioting on April 27, has stepped up its readiness in the run-up to the period around May 9 when further unrest was possible, the Eesti Paevaleht daily reported.
As of 1400 today, no more alcohol will be sold in shops through the evening of the 9th. Most of the previous rioters and looters were reportedly drunk during the previous disturbances.
So, will they go at it again sober :eek:
Estonians Lay Flowers at WWII Monument
By JARI TANNER
The Associated Press
Tuesday, May 8, 2007; 5:47 AM
Probably the right thing to have done and even a nice gesture, but the Russian's don't seem all that impressed. Perhaps they still feel that Victory Day is on the 9th :wry:
Quote:
TALLINN, Estonia -- Estonian government ministers laid flowers at a disputed Soviet statue on Tuesday to commemorate the Allied victory in World War II, the first time the Baltic state has made such a gesture since gaining independence 16 years ago.
The Swedish ambassador to Estonia Dag Hartelius laid a wreath on behalf of the Western diplomatic corps. Russian Ambassador Nikolai Uspensky refused to take part in the ceremony.
Just yesterday Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov expressed Russian regrets NATO, EU connivance at attempts to rewrite history
Quote:
Russia rejects some countries' attempts to rewrite history, Russia's foreign minister said Monday.
Addressing a wreath-laying ceremony for diplomats who perished in WWII, Sergei Lavrov said that the memory of the Victory was sacred, and that all officials at the Russian Foreign Ministry were responsible for thwarting attempts to scoff at history.
"Unfortunately, some organizations, such as NATO and the EU are conniving at such attempts [to rewrite history]," Lavrov said.
Russia's ambassador to the OSCE said grave human rights violations in Estonia resulted from the EU and NATO's indifference and tacit consent.
A Soviet Memorial -- and Mind-Set
We've often wondered, was there any truth to this myth. Looks like perhaps there was :)
Quote:
In 1994, Russian President Boris Yeltsin and his Estonian counterpart, the polymath Lennart Meri, chummily drank together in a Kremlin chamber as their foreign ministers labored nearby to complete a historic treaty to withdraw all Russian troops from the tiny Baltic state.
When it was time to celebrate the finished draft, Yeltsin mocked his own foreign minister, Andrei Kozyrev, for his weak drinking skills -- "Bring the boy some ice cream," he roared to an attendant -- but approved the agreement. That may have been the high-water mark of Russia's willingness to face its imperialist history and allow its neighbors to live in peace.
Yeltsin, for all his drinking and Siberian gruffness, had at least glimmers of understanding that Russia could become a greater country by withdrawing unwanted troops than by imposing them. Putin, clean-cut and fit, seems the more modern man. But his troops remain in parts of neighboring Georgia and Moldova, and no decisive Kremlin summits to solve those problems, with vodka or ice cream, seem likely anytime soon.
Much more at the link !
How to join Putin's Insurgency
A reader from Canada sent me this regarding Putin and a tad bit of history.
Pretty strange stuff, but perhaps not too far off the mark if you have plans for future employment in the Kremlin :wry:
Hi Marc !
I'm working on your answer, but the Delta Sierra is in jail and I have serious doubts, he'll entertain my request for an interview :mad:
Regards, Stan
