Military

March 1, 2000

RUSSIA: 'WAR CRIMES' ALLEGATIONS DISPUTED BY RUSSIAN MEDIA; OTHERS 'HORRIFIED'

As Russia declared an end to its full-scale offensive in Chechnya, overseas media remained focused on events in the restive republic. In copious comment, analysts outside of Russia reacted with alarm to allegations, leveled by some human rights groups, of "atrocities" and "war crimes" committed by Russian troops against Chechens. Coinciding with reports of abuse in military "filtration" camps and Moscow's restriction of outside access to the war zone, a German television station's release of a videotape purportedly showing a mass grave of Chechen fighters drew sharply different reactions from commentators in Russia, on the one hand, and those elsewhere in Europe, the Mideast, Latin America and Canada. Most Russian papers charged that the tape "holds no evidence of crimes committed by the Russian army" and that "the unpalatable...pictures, abominable though they may seem, are everyday 'war aesthetics.'" Elsewhere, editorialists judged the "atrocious" video scenes to be "evidence...of a flagrant violation of human rights." Echoing a typical sentiment, a Madrid daily asserted, "The appalling images of dead Chechens in...ditches are a sad confirmation of the fears held by many about what is happening in Chechnya." Meanwhile, the unofficial kickoff of Mr. Putin's campaign for the presidency, launched with an "open letter" to voters published in Russian papers, led a handful of pundits from Russia, Europe and Asia to renew their speculation about what a Putin presidency would portend for the beleaguered country. Russian papers generally gave the acting president high points for appealing to the concerns of "ordinary people" seeking a "decent life." Papers elsewhere, citing his "ruthless leveling of Chechnya," adopted a wary tone. While asserting that "nobody would begrudge Russia a period of competent rule," a London daily concluded, "Rarely has Russia managed to strike a balance between a functioning central state and stifling tyranny." Highlights follow:

'WAR CRIMES' ALLEGATIONS DEBATED: Most Russian papers agreed with reformist Izvestiya that the Western media's "misrepresentation" of the video's contents--presenting the "grim reality of war" as evidence of Russian "brutality"--amounts to "provocation." Another Moscow daily contended that the West's "inappropriate reaction to what are virtually ordinary war scenes suggests that the story is...an excuse for a big political game." Holding that "the fake has a ring of truth to it," a few Moscow voices dissented, averring that mutilating bodies "is a crime, no matter who commits it, rebel or federal soldier." A London editorial spoke for the majority of non-Russian media in surmising that "there is accumulating, persuasive, eyewitness evidence that Russian forces have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity."

RENEWED CRITICISM OF WESTERN STANCE: The "litany of horrors" of alleged "war crimes" led to renewed criticism of the West's "hesitant" and "arbitrary" reaction to the Russian offensive, and to renewed calls for "an urgent and forceful response" from the international community. "Neither the world nor Russian voters should be content with offhanded denials" by Russian authorities, said a Munich daily. Some writers took note of stepped-up Western "indignation" when confronted with "the horror of mutilated corpses," but, nevertheless, concurred with a Canadian paper's complaint that it "has taken months for Western powers--so quick to denounce...the far-right...in Austria--to slightly alter their benevolent tone toward Putin."

EDITOR: Katherine L. Starr

EDITOR'S NOTE: This survey is based on 19 reports from 61 countries, February 16 - March 1. Editorial excerpts are grouped by region; editorials from each country are listed from the most recent date.

EUROPE

RUSSIA: "Babitsky Story Blown Up"

Vasily Ostryakov said on page one of neo-communist Slovo (3/1-2): "A lot is still unknown about the Babitsky case. To quote Vladimir Putin, the journalist is just at sea. He may be right. Babitsky may clear the air at a press conference today. It is certain, though, that someone wanted the whole thing blown up. The story of ITAR-TASS correspondent Vladimir Yatsina, taken hostage and killed (in Chechnya), went almost unnoticed by our media. This looks like a double standard of morality and humaneness."

"War Not Over Yet"

Viktor Baranets noted in reformist, youth-oriented Komsomolskaya Pravda (3/1): "A Russian flag was hoisted in Shatoi [a town in Chechnya] yesterday. But to say that the military phase of the anti-terrorist operation is over, as stated by high-ranking military, is 'premature and time-serving,' according to some experts in the defense ministry and the army's general staff. A group of some 2,000 to 3,500 terrorists in highland Chechnya will take at least another month to destroy."

"Putin Hits Bull's Eye"

Reformist Izvestiya (2/29) front-paged this article by Svetlana Babayeva: "Of all Russian politicians in the past few years, Putin is the only one to try to speak to ordinary people in a language they understand.... Putin speaks, and people believe what he says. Why? Because he himself, so it seems, believes it.... His perceptions of life are ordinary, too, as if every day he has to go to work by Metro, defend his petty business from local government officials and criminals, and tuck away rubles for a new Turkish coat with a 'Made in Canada' label on it. Russia needs him now, as it needs trust and hope. Yeltsin believed in democracy and spoke of freedom of expression, religion and movement. The Russians have it all now, because Yeltsin wanted it. Putin speaks about security, free enterprise, restrictions on the 'omnipotence' of the oligarchs, and 'prompt punishment' for 'those who hurt us.' Maybe 10 to 11 years from now (he says he doesn't mind a seven-year term of office for president after 2004), we will be able to say that we have all that, because he wanted it."

"Whence Putin's High Popularity Rating?"

Fyodor Burlatsky mused in official parliamentary Parlamentskaya Gazeta (2/29): "What the Americans and other NATO members did to Yugoslavia is a model of the retribution a nation has to endure because of the (genuine or perceived) crimes committed by its leaders. The monstrous imbalance between the armada of a score of nations and tiny Serbia was staggering, shocking the Russians, who believe in a fair fight. That provided an additional impetus to a second Chechen campaign. Unlike in the first one, Putin chose scorched-earth tactics.... Obviously, that was exactly what this nation wanted. Putin owes his popularity rating primarily to the Chechen war.... He says he is a moderate liberal. He may be right, but this is not what makes him so popular. He attracts ordinary people by being active, decisive, reasonable, free from ideological tenets, and ready to cooperate with various political movements in the name of the cause."

"Fake With Ring Of Truth To It"

Valery Yakov of reformist Noviye Izvestiya (2/29) commented on the controversial video tape from Chechnya: "It really stinks. But as the fake was palmed off and cleverly exposed, that which made the core of the story--the burial of people, their hands and feet tied and their ears cut off--somehow was pushed to the background. Government officials, condemning German journalists, and Mr. Yastrzhembsky, disclosing the 'fake of the century,' for some reason, have failed to see that the fake has a ring of truth to it: Dead bodies with bound hands and feet and cut-off ears. Cutting off limbs is not war. It is perversion, cynicism and ruthlessness. It is a crime, no matter who commits it, a rebel or a federal soldier. It is also a dubious method to restore constitutional order."

"Europe Sees Only What It Wants to See"

Yevgeny Krutikov contended in reformist Izvestiya (2/29): "As it watches the Chechen war, Europe sees only what it wants to see. But what it wants to see comes from other, previous reports about the 'Russian barbarians.' As a result, the grim reality of war, which is as ghastly as it is inevitable (e.g., the burial of unidentified dead bodies) is presented as a gory nightmare and brutalities. That is a double standard. The Russians are used to the Western Europeans dismissing or finding all sorts of plausible liberal excuses for the brutalities committed by Chechen militants. The way they perceive things fits well into simple and easy-to-sell notions: black and white, cold and hot, Russian savages and Chechen freedom fighters."

"Timely Tape"

Gleb Cherkasov of reformist Vremya MN (2/28) commented on a controversial video tape from Chechnya: "As Izvestiya and the Germans argue over who authored that tape, its contents, which shocked the political establishment in Western Europe and the United States, seem to have receded into the background. As for the subject matter per se, it holds no evidence of crimes committed by the Russian army. The Chechens in the common grave look like rebels. There are no women or children among them. The harsh ways the dead bodies are handled are usual in this war, as they were usual in the previous one. The inappropriate reaction to what is virtually ordinary war scenes suggests that the story is important as an excuse for a big political game. Whether it was planned or the influential circles in the West have decided to use the report to bring pressure to bear on Russia is unknown. It is clear, though, that this story may impede the investigation of real human rights violations in Chechnya. Now the Russian authorities may refer to any unwanted piece of information from Chechnya as a fake or a false interpretation of commonplace events."

"Fake"

Reformist Izvestiya (2/26) charged in a page-one commentary by Yevgeny Krutikov: "That which the Germans call 'killings of war prisoners' and 'atrocities by the Russian army' is virtually a total fake. The tape is genuine...but the German voice-over completely misrepresents the sense of what took place. In fact, it is the first instance of a direct falsification of video materials about the Chechen war by the Western media. It is not just a one man's error or dishonesty. It is worse. It is provocation."

"It's Just What War Looks Like"

Oleg Odnokolenko weighed in on page one of reformist Segodnya (2/26): "The unpalatable video pictures, abominable though this may sound, are everyday 'war aesthetics.' Crime experts and people with first-hand knowledge about war can tell at once that the scenes in the tape are those of an ordinary burial of dead bodies. Not even dozens of Human Rights Watch posts in the war area will change the cynical and harsh nature of war.

"People in the Council of Europe and other international organizations must know that. When Kosovo was bombed in the name of human rights, every precaution was taken that people should not see the dirty side of that war."

"Some Russian Soldiers Act As Bandits"

Yelena Loria pointed out in reformist Noviye Izvestiya (2/26): "Unfortunately, it will be admitted that some Russian soldiers...are no better than bandits, committing outrages over militants captured in clean-up operations."

"Lots Of Myths Exploded"

Following reports about Andrei Babitsky from the Daghestan capital, reformist Izvestiya (2/28) front-paged a comment by Yevgeny Krutikov: "Seeing a photo of the Radio Liberty correspondent in an Azeri passport has exploded lots of myths. First, Andrei Babitsky is safe and sound. Second, he does not deny that he was exchanged of his own free will. Third, in his own words, he was not treated badly at Chernokozovo (filtration camp). Nobody tortured or beat him. Radio Liberty, stirring the genetic fears of a quite influential group of Russian journalists, has used the sufferings of its leading staff member to stage a political show."

"Help Us Build A Peaceful Chechnya"

Reformist, youth-oriented Komsomolskaya Pravda (2/24) commented on reports about appalling conditions in "filtration" camps in Chechnya: "Army commanders and government officials often complain about journalists, human rights activists and soldiers' mothers making it difficult for them to fight in Chechnya. But let's look at it from another perspective. We should think now of building a peaceful Chechnya, and army commanders and government officials must help us in that. Chechnya's future is to be built on its present, including on what is going on in the 'filtration' camps. The outrages the feds are committing there now will come home to roost years later when the children of today's camp inmates will take up arms. We must raise our voices against this kind of war. The more journalists, commissions and private citizens protest against 'filtration' camps, the more confident we will be about our own children's future."

"West Drops Demands In Favor Of Requests"

Reformist, business-oriented Kommersant (2/24) front-paged a piece by Gennady Sysoyev on British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook's visit to Moscow: "The Cook visit was the final one in a series of trips by Western officials coming to Moscow to get to know Vladimir Putin. Unexpectedly, they came off well for Putin. Speaking for the Big Seven, Cook made it clear that pressuring Russia over Chechnya was out of the question, thereby contributing to Putin's (future) victory in the presidential elections. The West is making no demands any more, supplanting them with requests. With Europe and the United States going soft on Chechnya, Putin, rather than sounding anti-Western, can well use slogans of partnership with the West as he joins the presidential race."

"We Need A Choice"

Reformist weekly Literaturnaya Gazeta (2/23) ran this piece by G. Ashin and A. Midler: "In the coming elections, we are supposed to decide what was actually decided in the second round of the 1996 elections: A choice between Putin and Zyuganov, with Putin here standing for Yeltsin. This is marking time. It must be clear to all that in this kingdom of ours, you have to run fast in order to stay where you are, but you have to run twice as fast in order to move ahead. We can't choose between a reformer and a communist again. Why not switch to democratic options? We don't want to choose between Scylla and Charybdis or between 'the dictatorship of the proletariat' and 'the dictatorship of order.'"

"Russia Conservative Traditions"

Viktor Pritula remarked on page one of neo-communist Slovo (2/23): "The unpredictable Putin is better than the predictable pseudo-communist Zyuganov.... As for the public's choice, it is unlikely to be that of the democratic elite. The Russians are known for their steadfast conservative traditions. They elect their leaders for many years, if not decades. Lenin-Stalin, Yeltsin-Putin."

"Following Nazi Tactics"

Galina Kovalskaya wrote in reformist weekly Itogi (2/22): "It is a well known method of fighting guerrillas: You don't punish guerrillas, you punish the villages that give them refuge. This happened in Lidice, Song Mi and elsewhere. The Nazis did the same in Belarus during WWII. How effective is this method? Russian and Vietnamese experience shows that it is counterproductive. Supposing punitive operations against Chechen villages do help put down the bandits' resistance, what would then happen to Chechnya? We have written again and again that the only way to solve the problem is for the Chechens to be integrated into Russian society. But you can't have them integrated if they consider the Russians to be butchers. Anti-Russian sentiment is on the rise among refugees, for the first time since before the first Chechen campaign."

"Rebels Ready To Lay Down Their Arms"

Oleg Stulov noted in reformist, business-oriented Kommersant (2/22): "The Russian military is confident that the rebels simply have no strength to defend large areas. As of now, they number 5,000 to 7,000 fighters. Their field commanders realize that they will soon have nowhere to retreat. All they can do now is defend their bases in the mountains and carry out subversive acts."

"Russia Has To Pay A Price"

Yevgeny Anisimov stated in reformist, youth-oriented Komsomolskaya Pravda (2/22): "We need to rebuild Chechnya. If we want peace in the Caucasus--even if it comes in ten years--if we don't want blasts in our cities at night, if we don't want our children to fight again, we have to pay. The Chechens will surely hate Russia for a long time to come but even as they do so, they should know two things: One, Russia will never let go of Chechnya; and two, Chechnya is better off living with Russia in peace."

"Putin Normal Person"

Leonid Radzikhovsky said in reformist Segodnya (2/22): "We know that Putin is a normal, modern person.... That says a lot. Yet we don't know how he will rule. But then, there is no way for us to know--to know, we have to see. He will show us soon, so many people are worried. Vladimir Lenin was worried once, too, when he said, 'Now that Comrade Stalin is the general secretary [of the Russian Communist Party], his power is boundless, but I am not sure that he will always be careful about how uses it.' That worry is as old as the czarist throne in Russia. This is perhaps why we are also feeling so bored. We don't know what to expect. Does Putin?"

"Western Media Still Hostile To Russia"

Stanislav Menshikov in Amsterdam wrote for neo-communist Slovo (2/18): "With all that rigmarole about Chechnya, it is hard to tell what the Americans are hoping to gain by going on and on about it. They have lost their bet on Maskhadov, Basayev, Hattab and other thugs, so it would seem that they might just as well beat a retreat.

"But they won't, which means that they certainly have a stake in supporting the terrorists and seeing part of Russia break away. The Western press is painting the bandits and their sympathizers as heros, while remaining hostile to Russia."

"Whither Russia?"

Viktor Kuvaldin mused in centrist Nezavisimaya Gazeta (2/18): "What is Russia going to look like in the 21st century? Attempting to revive monarchy or Bolshevism is absurd, democracy is having a hard time in this country, and the era of authoritarian regimes is all but gone. Which is a way to freedom and prosperity? Where do we find help in this weary and incredulous country? What do we do to remain independent and avoid isolation in this vast world? Hardly anyone knows the answers to those questions. We need to know where to look so that we don't chase a wild goose. There is no sensible alternative to building democracy, no matter how hard and complicated this may be. After all, the Indians can do it, and the Chinese will have to do it, too."

BRITAIN: "Crime And Punishment"

The liberal Guardian opined (2/29): "Nobody knows how many people have been killed since the Russian onslaught on Chechnya began last September. This ignorance is the result of a deliberate Russian policy which has barred access to Chechnya to international institutions and relief and human rights organizations, as well as (until relatively recently) the mass media.... Now that the war is almost over, and the damage mostly done, Moscow's information embargo is less strictly enforced. There is accumulating, persuasive, eyewitness evidence that Russian forces have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity."

"Stop At The Border"

The conservative Times opined (2/28): "As Russian bombing (and reported atrocities) are stepped up, and warmer weather makes travel easier, Chechen refugees will try to escape the army attacks. The bigger danger is that spring might also take the war beyond Russian territory to the neighboring ex-Soviet state of Georgia. Refugees from Chechnya might flee into Georgia, hoping to escape violence in a foreign state whose leader, Eduard Shevardnadze, has clout in the West. But this could prompt larger scale hostilities if Russia were to send its military in pursuit across what is now an international border. There is thus a growing risk to the region between Russia, Iran and Turkey. The geopolitical balance between Russian and Western interests there is of critical importance. So too is the need to avoid sending the wrong message to those in the Russian military who still dream of expanding back into their old Soviet space."

"Putin's Poll"

The independent Financial Times observed (2/23): "Barring an extraordinary upset in the last month of campaigning, Putin is a shoo-in to succeed Yeltsin.... Putin has succeeded in doing what Western politicians can only dream of: being all things to all voters. He manages to appeal to the old left as a patriot. He appeals to the unpaid workers and pensioners as a disciplinarian. He attracts the oligarchs of the new business elite as a man who will not threaten their influence. And he has persuaded many more liberal reformers that he will espouse their cause--once the campaign has been won.... He certainly makes the right noises for each constituency. The question is whether he intends to deliver. Russia not only needs a stern leader, as Putin presents himself. It also needs strong alternative institutions, like an independent judiciary, and an outspoken and critical press. There is little sign of either in the current legal and political process, or in the election campaign."

"Be Wary Of Russia's Next President"

The centrist Independent judged (2/23): "Nobody would begrudge Russia a period of competent and purposeful rule. In little more than a decade, one of the most powerful states on earth has become one of the weakest.... The result has been a devastated economy, corruption and criminality, which any sane Russian cannot wait to see the back of. But Mr. Putin has sent some worrying signals. The ruthless leveling of Chechnya, which has been the making of him politically, is one. Others detect signs of future curbs on press freedom, while Mr. Putin's party has done a parliamentary deal with the Communists that, at face value, does not bode well for liberalization. So we should be wary. Rarely has Russia managed to strike a balance between a functioning central state and stifling tyranny. In other words, can Mr. Putin give the lie to history, that without a strong man, Russia is lost?"

FRANCE: "A Matter Of Oil"

Charles Lambroschini held in right-of-center Le Figaro (2/23): "Officially, the dirty little Chechen war is justified because of the need to eradicate Islamic terrorism from Chechnya. But for the Kremlin, it is mostly a question of preserving the pipelines going through Chechnya and keeping an eye on the region's oil resources. The United States is short-circuiting that particular pipeline with the construction of a new one that will avoid the Russian territory."

GERMANY: "Putin Said Yes, Period!"

Jens Hartmann judged in right-of-center Die Welt of Berlin (3/1): "The Russian general staff exactly followed Putin's schedule and declared the war in Chechnya to be over.... But it does not play any role that the fighting in southern Chechnya is far from over.... The Russian propaganda wants Putin to have won the war. And this exactly one month before the presidential elections.... Apart from the Russian military industry, Putin is the biggest profiteer from this war.... After ten years of Yeltsin's agony, the little strong man looks like a savior.... But Russia does not want to open its eyes. It prefers to dream again about the good czar, while the world continues to move on."

"Campaign Slogan: Dictatorship Of Law"

Centrist Sueddeutsche Zeitung of Munich held (3/1): "Interim President Vladimir Putin made the 'dictatorship of the law' his election campaign slogan. This appeals to people in a country suffering from corruption and despotism. But with skepticism that was tested during Soviet times, the Russians should wait and see whether Putin is really the man who gives priority to law and order. The example of journalist Babitsky justifies extreme caution.... Russia has by no means shown that it abides by law and order in his case.... This is no evidence of the rule of law, but rather evidence of Putin's abundance of power."

"Myth Of A Just War Destroyed"

Centrist Mitteldeutsche Zeitung of Halle asserted (2/29): "The myth of a just war against international terrorism is destroyed more and more day by day. Shortly before the presidential elections, this comes at an inappropriate time for the Russian leadership.... Putin, however, has nothing to fear from the West. It is true that, in view of the TV reports on human rights violations in Chechnya, criticism of the Kremlin has intensified, but no Western official goes beyond appeals and invocations to finish the war as soon as possible."

"How Much Longer?"

Right-of-center Frankfurter Allgemeine judged (2/26): "'The military successes in Chechnya are an example of how order can be re-established in Russia.'

"In order to utter a sentence like this, one has to be as unscrupulous as the KGB in its worst Soviet period. Putin, who is a product of the committee for state security...does not want to limit his way of establishing order to the northern Caucasus, but he intends to apply his 'dictatorship of the law' everywhere between St. Petersburg and Vladivostok. It is especially macabre that his announcement coincides with the confirmation of massacres committed against Chechen rebels. But the Kremlin considers...[this revelation] simply a 'provocation.' It showed [similar disregard for other viewpoints] a few days ago, when it accused the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights of anti-Russian activity after she had criticized [Russia's actions]. All of this, however, is not enough to keep Western politicians from meeting with Putin and assuring him that Russia can count on European support in the future."

"Blood And Balsam For The Russians"

Daniel Broessler opined in centrist Sueddeutsche Zeitung of Munich (2/26): "Putin's 'open letter to the voters' published in Izvestiya is likely to warm the Russian soul. The letter speaks of the 'rich country of the poor people' and 'a blossoming Russia;' it talks about 'dignity' and the 'dictatorship of the law,' about a 'strong state that can free the people,' and it, of course, talks about the Caucasus where the Russian army has finally beaten the 'Chechen bandits.' But whoever puts aside the paper in Russia and turns on the television can, for the first time, see [different kinds of] pictures of the Russian victory over the 'Chechen bandits:' Tied up corpses, some of them with ears missing, are lying in mass graves. What happened? How did they die? Who mutilated them? The pictures were taken by the German journalist Frank Hoefling...for the news station N24.... Pictures like these are a case for the human rights official of the Russian parliament, Oleg Mironov. And he formed his opinion very quickly. The pictures were a 'provocation' and a 'falsification.' The Russian leadership no doubt has the right to call the reliability of TV material into question. Manipulated TV material, after all, is a well known strategy of war.... However, there are plenty of other indications that should make one hesitate. The most serious of these is the Russian refusal to allow independent observers into Chechnya.... Not even UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson has been permitted to visit the theater of war. For months, hard-to-verify reports have reached the public, published by organizations like Human Rights Watch.... But what would be necessary are independent observers who could move around Chechnya freely. They would be able to refute such reports credibly--or confirm them. Neither the world, nor the Russian voters should be content with offhanded denials."

"Tender Arbitrariness"

Right-of-center Welt am Sonntag of Hamburg held (2/27): "It just took moments for the EU to start shouting about the new Viennese coalition and Haider's Freedom Party. It took weeks before the EU, almost hesitantly, complained about the Russian butchery in Chechnya. The criticism of Moscow will certainly become stronger after the latest reports about massacres, but why should the Kremlin be impressed? Has not NATO chief Robertson just invited Putin back to the council table?... And did not Joschka Fischer, only recently, declare Russia an important EU partner? The great Putin has blood on his hands, while little Haider only makes obnoxious statements. Whoever courts the former and beats up the latter, can be accused of...arbitrariness."

"Western Reaction Too Little, Too Late"

Business Financial Times of Frankfurt asserted (2/25): "The moment has come to protest in Moscow and bring on sanctions. EU Foreign Affairs Commissioner Chris Patten thinks the time is ripe--months after the start of the second war in Chechnya. Months in which the Russian war machinery has rolled across the Caucasus, in which civilians have been driven out of their homes like cattle.... As always in EU-Europe, the politicians react too little and much too late.

"Only after the reports about human rights abuses, mass executions, and rapes have been published is the EU possibly gearing up for a more determined reaction. If the EU wants to avoid tensions with Moscow for reasons of realpolitik, then they should not act like hypocrites now. One either protests with credibility, or one does not protest at all. The talk is about calling back the EU ambassador to Moscow, or even ending all cooperation.... There is no unanimous position in this conflict: While Paris is urging action, Berlin is putting on the brakes.... Realpolitik...is the course Berlin is following with respect to Chechnya: Isolating Russia would do more harm than good.... Russia's stability is too important to risk...conflict with Moscow. Berlin favors strong words, but no sanctions. That is horrific, but based on reality."

"EU Protest Is Nothing But Hypocrisy"

Right-of-center Frankenpost of Hof judged (2/25): "Thousands of civilians have died in Chechnya. Some 1,300 mostly young Russian soldiers have died.... And what does Bill Clinton have to say? He praises the secret service pupil Putin as 'very intelligent and very motivated.' And what about Madeleine Albright? She called Putin...a 'promising reformer.' And finally the European 'community of shared values:' Representing this community, Foreign Minister Fischer has spoken of a 'humanitarian crisis in Chechnya,' a crisis out of sync in with 'European standards.' Clear Words. But what are the consequences?"

"Western Appeals"

Centrist Badische Zeitung of Freiburg (2/23) commented on Russia's refusal to give UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson the permission to visit Chechnya: "Moscow knows that the West will do no more than making appeals to force Moscow to stick to human rights. Putin is not Milosevic. A violation of Russia's sovereignty is out of the question, because Russia is still too strong. In order to urge Moscow to give in, the available means are too weak: the suspension of Russia's membership in the Council of Europe, a trial before the Human Rights Court. And now it is coming back to haunt [the West] that the Kosovo war ignored Russian interests and international law."

"Cynicism"

Werner Adam observed in right-of-center Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (2/19): "The Chechens will consider the allegation of the Russian leadership that they finally have been 'liberated' from the alleged gangster rule of their freely elected president as cynicism. Putin's claim is no less macabre than his appointment of a so-called 'Human Rights Commissioner' for the downtrodden Caucasian republic.... Thus far, the West has reacted to the Russian policy in Chechnya in a way which must have strengthened Putin's view that he can continue with his scorched earth policy. Although U.S. criticism of the events in Chechnya was articulated more clearly over the past few weeks, it is unlikely that Putin will be impressed by it. This will be at least true through the March presidential elections since his victory will be all the more certain, the more adamantly he presents himself in Chechnya."

"Cuddling Up To The Pig In The Poke"

Doris Heimann penned an editorial in centrist Tagesspiegel of Berlin (2/22): "Vladimir Putin can do considerably more harm to the West than Austria's Joerg Haider. However, while Haider is being ostracized by Europe, Western politicians are courting Putin.... The reconciliatory atmosphere governing the West's foreign and security policies vis-a-vis Russia helps support interim President Putin. In four weeks, Russians are going to elect a new president. The visits by Western politicians before this election are not standard diplomatic practice; it would have been Putin's responsibility to make a first round of visits after the election. The timing of the visits reveals that the West is already convinced of Putin's victory.

"Thus, [as after the 1994-96 war] a political practice repeats itself: Then, despite acts of cruelty in the Caucasus, Yeltsin was supported by the West in official visits. Once again, the West is clinging to the politician who already has the power in the Kremlin--Chechnya is becoming a side issue. But there is one difference between today and the situation in 1996: While Yeltsin had already proven himself a reliable partner over several years, Putin and his foreign and security goals remain almost fully unknown to the West."

"Moscow Gaining Ground In The Caucasus"

Frank Herod analyzed the situation in the Caucasus in left-of-center Berliner Zeitung (2/18): "Moscow could be extraordinarily satisfied with the latest meeting of Russia's and Georgia's interior ministers. [In a joint statement] at the end of January, they said that, as of today, there will be joint patrols along the Caucasian main ridge of the Chechen-Georgian border. This agreement is the capitulation of the small Caucasian republic to month-long pressure from the big neighbor. The attempt of the Tbilisi government to evade Russia's sphere of influence has failed for the time being.... Azerbaijan's President Aliyev also changed course. At the CIS summit, he felt compelled to emphasize his 'unrestricted confidence in Russia and its acting president.' For years, the government in Baku has tried to look for ways to export its crude oil without being dependent on the transit routes across Northern Caucasus...but, in the meantime, Baku is again speaking of a 'diversification of routes,' and one will run across southern Russia."

ITALY: "Reporter Babitsky Free: Russian Atrocities In Chechnya"

Vladimir Sapozhnikov filed from Moscow in leading, business Il Sole-24 Ore (3/1): "Andrei Babitsky...has provided new, terrifying information about atrocities he witnessed in the Chernokozovo filtration camp.... As for the Kremlin, the war in Chechnya is finished.... However, many observers believe that this is only a short interval, which might be interrupted quite soon after the Russian presidential elections.... The rebels' leaders have repeatedly declared that guerrillas will counterattack as soon as winter is over."

"Moscow Announces Its Victory In Chechnya"

Renzo Cianfanelli filed from Moscow in top-circulation, centrist Corriere della Sera (3/1): "Russia won the war in Chechnya because, in addition to Grozny which was reduced to ashes...all spots occupied by (Chechen) secessionists were razed to the ground.... Notwithstanding the gravity of the evidence put together by independent organizations, Russia continues to minimize its violations of human rights."

"Atrocious Video Catches The West Unprepared"

Franco Venturini argued in centrist, top-circulation Corriere della Sera (2/26): "It took the strength of images. We had to pay attention to the television horror of mutilated corpses thrown in common graves in order to get a reaction of indignation from the West vis-a-vis the Chechen massacres.... Vladimir Putin will refuse (to accept the presence of international investigators) this time around. One month before the presidential elections, any surrendering to 'external interference' may damage his image as the strongman and the defender of Russian pride. And the West will have to be happy with that, and retain its terrible doubts about those common graves and those corpses." Venturini also emphasized the West's and the U.S.' "positive and enthusiastic" assessments of Putin and the "procession" of Western leaders in Moscow over the last few weeks, noting: "Notwithstanding the cruelty of the Chechen war, the diagnosis of the U.S. president (on Putin) can be shared at least as an expression of hope.... But the Russia of tomorrow does not deserve preliminary absolutions, just as it does not deserve biased condemnations.... The West remains a prisoner of its dangerous lack of a Russian strategy."

"The Chechen Drama And U.S. Embarrassment"

Washington correspondent Siegmund Ginzberg filed this piece for in pro-DS (leading government party) L'Unita' (2/27): "Clinton did not succeed in concealing an embarrassment--from which neither he nor his advisors know how to emerge. Dealing with Putin's Russia is not like dealing with Milosevic's Serbia.... Clinton has done more (and less) explaining about why he has his hands tied in Chechnya, even though the same principles--'national sovereignty' above all--are violated there that had justified the NATO intervention in Kosovo. He has already explicitly recognized Putin as president of Russia, and also as privileged interlocutor of the United States--even before this role is sanctioned by the vote.... Never has a U.S. president been so enthusiastic about a future, still potential leader of the former USSR or Russia. Not even when it was Yeltsin or Gorbachev."

BELGIUM: "Putin's Formula On 'Dictatorship Of Law'"

Pol Mathil commented in independent Le Soir (2/26) on Vladimir Putin's 'open letter,' published in the Russian daily Izvestiya: "One should not make a case against Vladimir Putin based on assumptions. But if the war in Chechnya is supposed to guide Russia to become a law-abiding state, not only the Russians, who are so confident, but also the West, which has until now been so accommodating, must be concerned that, with regard to his formula 'the dictatorship of the law,' the new president only keeps the dictatorship and forgets the law."

"What Haider Says, Putin Does"

Freddy De Pauw opined in independent Catholic De Standaard (2/22): "Of course, Austria is not Russia. It is easier to react vehemently against Vienna than against Moscow where the president has the infamous nuclear button. That explains perhaps the position of many Western leaders that 'Moscow must not be humiliated.'... While Haider was rightfully criticized for his statements and program, Putin, despite his acts, received praise. Those acts consist of immense violations of human rights in Chechnya and a stronger grip on the media.... The criticism of Haider would be more credible if the attitude vis-à-vis the violation of human rights and degradation of democratic rights and freedoms were more consistent--especially when, as is the case with Russia, it is not about a possible threat but about naked facts which cost the lives of people."

LITHUANIA: "Russia's Absurd Accusations"

Second-largest, national Respublika had this piece by Grazina Asembergiene (2/28): "[The Russian authorities] have wound up in a fool's position. It is clear the authorities do not under any circumstances want to allow Babitsky to return to Moscow because all of the their deceptions would become apparent. [Babitsky is being] dragged from one place to another, as new absurd accusations are continually being raised against him.... More and more Western countries that earlier peacefully and quietly criticized the genocide of the Chechen nation have now started believing in the facts."

THE NETHERLANDS: "The West Is Trapped"

Independent, influential NRC Handelsblad (2/16) commented on George Robertson's visit to Moscow and the decision by Western banks to refinance some Russian debts: "The West is trapped. If it keeps its distance [and takes the high ground], Russia will drift further in the direction of North Korea, Vietnam and China, with which it maintains ties. If it is accommodating, then it becomes the co-financier of a dirty war, and its domestic fall out."

POLAND: "Final Solution"

Marek Nowakowski wrote in right-of-center Zycie (2/23): "The war in Chechnya means slaughtering women and children.... The Western politicians and diplomats, however, remain silent. Sometimes they murmur timidly something about excessive means of repression used in the 'struggle against the terrorism in Chechnya' or about the scarcity of humanitarian aid for the civilian population. But the truth is that the nation is being exterminated. Where are those noble luminaries of freedom who recently gave fiery speeches about the crimes of Pinochet? Anointed by Yeltsin, the KGB colonel Putin appears to them an enlightened statesman, a guarantor of democracy in Russia. There is a short-sighted view that the [Russian] bear mustn't be teased but rather appeased to cool him in his bloodthirsty endeavors. In fact, seasoned European politicians adopted the same way of conduct toward Hitler--and we know how that all ended."

SPAIN: "No Questions"

Carlos Taibo commented in center-left El Pais (2/29): "At the end of the day, the ones who have intervened militarily in Chechnya are the very Russian leaders who have found support among our government officials. The often repeated concern for human rights expressed by our politicians has not been accompanied by even a cautious question as regards the heart of the problem in Chechnya: self-determination."

"Russian Atrocities"

Center-left El Pais noted (2/26): "The appalling images of dead Chechens massed in ditches are a sad confirmation of the fears held by many about what has been happening in Chechnya.... This evidence of horror and flagrant violation of human rights warrants an urgent and forceful response from Europe and its institutions, in the absence of which the EU and its member states will lose all credibility."

TURKEY: "The Drama Continues"

Sami Kohen observed in mass-appeal Milliyet (2/29): "Scenes of brutality in Chechnya have once again shaken the entire world. Many countries, including international organizations, have issued statements condemning Moscow's Chechnya policy and brutality. However, these reactions do not have any kind of force, and do not have the power to make the Russian generals stop wiping out Chechnya."

EAST ASIA

CHINA: "Eleven Candidates Take The Field"

Xuhong wrote in the Beijing Youth Daily (Beijing Qingnianbao, 2/23): "Among the eleven candidates, Putin is believed to have the biggest chance of winning. His achievements in dealing with the Chechnya issue and economic problems last year have earned him additional credits. Media predict that Communist leader Zyuganov is still the only actual rival of Putin."

JAPAN: "Putin Runs Far Ahead Of Other Presidential Contenders"

Business-oriented Nihon Keizai judged (2/27): "Opinion polls show that Putin already enjoys the support of as much as 50-60 percent of Russian voters. His popularity is attributed to the strong leadership he showed in making Russia's military operation in Chechnya successful. At 47, Putin successfully demonstrates the image of a young and energetic leader, unlike the old and ailing former President Yeltsin, among the Russian people....

"Many Russian people, living in poverty and having their pride (as the people of a one-time superpower) wounded, have become supportive of Putin's program aimed at promoting patriotism; implementing a market economy and democratization; and becoming a major power again without returning to the principles of the old Soviet Union."

VIETNAM: "West's Two-Track Policy On Russia"

Huy Quoc commented in Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Saigon, the mouthpiece of Ho Chi Minh City's Communist Party, 2/28): "Given that the West continues its two-track policy toward Russia, one can understand what the Russians need in their future president. Recent visits by Western leaders to Russia were seen as re-establishing relations with Russia after the NATO attacks on Yugoslavia.... However, the fact remains that the West is campaigning to hinder Russia in its attempt to end the anti-terrorist campaign in Chechnya. Putin's first military successes still won't allow Russians to ignore the economic difficulties they face."

SOUTH ASIA

NEPAL: "Facts Come To Light"

Government-owned Gorkhapatra commented (2/26): "Actual facts about the so-called Russian triumph in Chechnya will gradually come to light.... For Russian consumption, persuasive reports have been circulated even before the smoke of bombing raids and artillery fires have disappeared from the sky of Grozny, because such publicity is deemed necessary with the presidential election around the corner.... Mere occupation of Grozny cannot solve the problem.... The Russians have to win the hearts of the local people.... Russian forces cannot stay in Grozny forever."

MIDDLE EAST

KUWAIT: "UN Must Investigate Massacres"

Independent Al-Watan had this opinion by Abdulla Al-Shayji (2/29): "Muslim Chechens are being exposed to organized extermination by the Russians, Jews and Western nations. Russia would not have been able to continue this war if it was not for the support of the World Bank, NATO and the approval of the UN. We hope that the UN will take a brave decision to form a committee to investigate Russian massacres."

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: "Atrocities In Chechnya"

Dubai-based, business-oriented Al-Bayan maintained (2/27): "What is worse is that the West did not confine itself to vicious silence about events in Chechnya. Rather it has resorted to guilty barters, such as Russia's silence regarding the atrocities in Iraq in return for U.S. silence about the atrocities in Chechnya. The result is more killings and liquidations supervised by the major capitals.... However, these capitals are deluded in believing they are achieving victories by liquidating the weak. Blood will generate more blood, and the killings and crimes will backfire against their executors, financiers, and against those who have become blind and deaf and have not condemned them."

WESTERN HEMISPHERE

ARGENTINA: "Russia Announces Final Victory Over Chechen Rebels"

Leon Bastidas filed from Moscow for leading Clarin (3/1): "The war against Chechnya launched Putin... to the top of his popularity.... Putin has bet on the armed forces as his main support in his declared purpose of returning Russia its lost status of superpower.... Although the out-of-proportion use of force by the federal army against Chechnya unleashed general international condemnation...it did not lead to any kind of penalties against Russia."

CANADA: "Crimes Against Humanity"

Serge Truffaut lamented in liberal, French-language Le Devoir (2/26-27): "Since the Russians entered Grozny, the litany of horrors grows daily. The old are mugged, the young are killed and the women are raped. Everything civilian is crushed. The Russian soldier even goes so far as to coldly play 'your money or your life' on a fairly regular basis. Chechen soldiers for their part exact tolls. Those who need to travel to fetch the body of a family member must pay money, which is then used to buy arms.... From the testimony of Médecins du Monde, Human Rights Watch and a handful of journalists, we know that crimes against humanity were committed. As is often the case, it has taken months for Western powers--so quick to denounce, although rightfully so, the far-right's rise to power in Austria--to slightly alter their benevolent tone toward Putin and his supporters. But worst of all may be the attitude of the UN. After having missed the genocide in East Timor, it is repeating the same mistake."

MEXICO: "Why Has International Community Not Reacted Forcefully?"

Nationalist Milenio (2/28) carried a column by Mireya Olivas: "Human Rights Watch has documented a number of human rights abuses by Russia against Chechen citizens including the existence of mass graves and the 300,000 civilians displaced by force.... Why have the leaders of the international community not reacted forcefully against the abuses by the Russian bear? It is interesting that as the war in Chechnya has advanced, the Europeans and the Americans have crafted new agreements with Russia that prevent them from reacting in the same fashion they did in Kosovo.... For instance, President Clinton seems obsessed with the idea of a missile umbrella to protect the United States against attacks from rebel states...but in order to do so he must modify the ABM Treaty, and Secretary Albright's recent trip to Russia seems to have softened the Russian opposition to the U.S. plan.... For these reasons the United States and the EU are willing to leave things as they are--though they are not right."

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Telephone: (202) 619-6511

10/29/99

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