Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

EUROPE

RUSSIA: "West Changes View Of Russian Reform"

Konstantin Sorokin said in centrist, trade union Trud (8/31): "For two weeks now, the press in the United States, Switzerland, Italy and other countries has been writing extensively about the Russian mafia and its massive money-laundering operation in the West.... The tone of the latest commentaries abroad suggests that the United States and the West are radically changing their view of Russian reform and government. Of course, there is that principle in the West about its 'own sons of bitches.' But 'sons of bitches,' by definition, take good care of the Big Brother's interests. The Russians don't. Besides putting their own interests ahead of everybody else's, they...engage in subversive activity abroad, exporting corruption and crime. That is too much. The West can't bear that."

"West Turned A Blind Eye"

Former Deputy Premier and Finance Minister Boris Fyodorov wrote in reformist Segodnya (8/31): "Why this hullabaloo in the media about billions of dollars laundered through the Bank of New York and high-ranking officials having bank accounts in Switzerland? All that is not new. The West, true to its double standard, just turned a blind eye to those things. Any attempts to clean and civilize Russia are welcome. Hopefully, with pressure from the press and public, the Western authorities will get serious about that this time.... The West can do better than give credits. IMF credits make no sense. The governments that received them were short-lived, had no economic programs, and offered no guarantees that the money would be used properly."

"Russia Always Had Corruption"

Reformist Vremya-MN (8/31) ran this by Tatyana Malkina and Dmitry Volkov: "There has always been corruption in Russia (it certainly did not appear in 1991). But it has never stopped anyone from dealing with this country. Besides, money-laundering is common. Even American journalists have had to admit this, noting that around $180 billion is laundered through U.S. banks every year by criminals from across the world."

"Had The West Cared"

Tatyana Malkina observed in reformist Vremya-MN (8/30): "No doubt, the Russian government is corrupt. The reason is not that it takes bribes from corrupt Russian business, but that it is incompetent, ignorant and wild. In Russia, political power is hard to win and easy to retain. Government officials (not all, but many) know little about the economy.... The president, too, is corrupt in the same sense--not because his daughters are said to have accounts in foreign banks. The president, not too knowledgeable either, has no idea what to do with this country, nor does he want to do anything. But then, who does? Had the West cared, it would have smelled rot long ago. Had it wanted to be stern, it would not have delayed a near-complete Russian default, given credits, winked at the shooting of the Russian parliament and the Chechen war, or shaken hands with Yeltsin."

"Hotbed Of Terrorism"

Reformist Vremya-MN (8/30) ran this comment by Viktor Paukov and Eduard Lefko: "An end to fighting in Dagestan has not brought the federal authorities peace of mind.

"The Russian army has again proved less than combat ready. Even worse, Chechnya, a major headache, may, with a weak government in Moscow, become a center of international terrorism. The war in Dagestan is a litmus test making all those tendencies more pronounced."

"West Behind Mercenaries"

Neo-communist Slovo (8/27) ran this piece by Stanislav Menshikov: "It is commonly known that groups of Chechen and Wahhabi rebels include foreigners from Arab countries and Africa.... But our authorities and media are very reticent about the West being behind the mercenaries, refusing to talk about it other than in a low voice or with references to 'foreign special services.' The fact is that the West is pressing ahead with its strategic offensive against Russia to weaken and partition it. The operation in Dagestan was only a test to see how Moscow would react to it. NATO may change the forms of its indirect aggression in the Caucasus, [but] it will not give up its attempts to oust Russia until we destroy its clients completely."

"Our Politics, Business Dirty"

Reformist Izvestiya (8/27), carrying reports by Igor Ivanov, Aleksei Nikolsky and Dmitry Kuznets on recent press publications in the West about a massive money-laundering operation involving the Russian 'mafia' and American banks, front-paged this comment: "The Russian elite, along with the rest of this nation, has gotten into a dirty story, so dirty that you want to wash your hands after reading the latest Western publications. Obviously, this is a big campaign to discredit Russian leaders, businesses and this nation as a whole. The reasons behind it are not quite clear yet. But its effects will be destructive. Serious people in the West will turn away from Russia because all Russians are 'bandits and thieves.'"

"Victory Without Victors"

Viktor Paukov said on page one of reformist Vremya-MN (8/26): "There is hardly cause for celebration. Though the rebels are gone, this does not look like a full military victory. After all, it is not the feds but the local population, strongly opposed to the invading force from Chechnya, who decided the outcome of the fighting. That does not add laurels to the federal troops. What kind of army is it which asks the population for help in order to win a victory?"

"Moscow, Beijing Talk Like Allies"

Aleksandr Chudodeyev judged on page one of reformist Segodnya (8/26): "Yeltsin has made it clear to Western leaders...that they can't write him off as a politician, not yet--he can still make things difficult for them. He has also demonstrated the potential of Russia-China rapprochement. Even though it was stated that a political alliance or bloc (between Russia and China) was out of the question, the two presidents met exactly as political allies."

"Theater Of The Absurd"

Maksim Yusin commented on page one of reformist Izvestiya (8/26): "Yeltsin should not have gone to Bishkek. He could not have found a worse time for the kind of statements he made there. It looked like theater of the absurd. Now everybody knows that rather than working on Russia's internal problems and trying to lead it out of an economic crisis, the Kremlin 'is preparing to fight.' This at the time when Russia needs loyalty, if not allied relations, from the West. Given the latest events in Dagestan, Yeltsin's theater of the absurd appears doubly absurd. Are we fighting the West in the Caucasus? No, we are fighting Islamic fundamentalism, the worst anti-Western force there is in the world. NATO is not going to attack us, whereas Basayev and Hottab have already done that. Why fight on two fronts when we can't get a handle on one?"

"Ideological Invectives"

Sergei Guliy remarked on page one of reformist Noviye Izvestiya (8/26): "The Bishkek declaration, adopted in honor of a multipolar world, is full of ideological invectives that would be a credit to the late Soviet leaders' speechwriters."

"China Seeks Ally To Oppose U.S."

Reformist Vremya-MN (8/25) front-paged this by Arkady Dubnov in Bishkek: "Jiang Zemin made it clear a month ago that he would only come to Bishkek if his Russian friend (Boris Yeltsin) did. Friendship is a great thing, especially when you have someone against whom you can use it. Beijing hopes Moscow will be an ally in fighting 'American hegemony' which the Chinese leaders find particularly dangerous after Kosovo."

"Russia Can't Protect Itself"

Reformist, business-oriented Kommersant Daily (8/25) lamented editorially: "No matter what the army command says, the war in Dagestan will not end soon. It is clear now that Russia's military can't do its main job. It can't repel aggression."

"Never-Ending War"

Neo-communist Slovo held (8/20): "Drawn into another war in the North Caucasus, Russia will never end it, unless it solves the Chechen problem. How? By totally destroying the bandits who have become an army by now. Busy watching political struggles between the Kremlin and the Duma, constant cabinet reshuffles, porno scandals involving members of the ruling and financial elites, and groaning under the effects of the August default and rising prices, we have not been thinking much about Chechnya.... While the Chechen authorities are powerless, the bandits are omnipotent. Dagestan is only the beginning."

"You Can't Win In Caucasus In A Week"

Viktor Litovkin contended in reformist weekly Obshchaya Gazeta (# 33, 8/19): "The problem is that we don't have an official policy on the armed forces. We tend to use the army as a rescue team, and it lacks basic necessities, from modern weapons to communications, surveillance and guidance equipment which is standard in foreign armies. The most important thing, which seems clear to the army and the New York Times but not to the Kremlin, is that you can't win the Caucasus by force, not in two weeks or even a year, just as you can't cure gangrene with a scalpel alone."

"Everybody Sets Sights On Caspian Oil"

According to Boris Yunanov in reformist weekly Obshchaya Gazeta (# 33, 8/19): "The rebels play into the hands of those who cultivate the notion of a 'weak and unstable Russia' which is unable to 'digest' big Caspian oil. Ankara, Riyadh, Tehran and Washington each have their own plans for the Caucasus. While their policies and philosophies may differ, their economic interests are the same. Moscow is wrong to think that it can consolidate its position in that area by bombing Basayev and Hattab. To do that, it needs diplomatic as well as military means. Otherwise, it will lose the Caucasus for good."

"Most Inauspicious Time"

Boris Volkhonsky, reporting on U.S.-Russian arms control consultations in Moscow, pointed out in reformist, business-oriented Kommersant Daily (8/19): "If the Americans sought an immediate solution to both problems (ABM, START III), now would be the wrong time to do so.

"Engrossed in electoral struggles, the Russian MPs would not think of wasting their time on 'trifles' like START, and left-wing candidates would try to present the U.S. intention to build an anti-missile defense system to protect itself from rogue regimes...as another threat to Russia's security."

BRITAIN: "Fueling Russia's Economy"

The independent weekly Economist had this lead editorial (8/27): "They pretend to pay us, we pretend to work. This half-serious summary of communist economics contained a kernel of truth: For Soviet workers, the freedom to pilfer and dawdle made up, to some extent, for empty shelves and wretched wages.... Since the Soviet collapse, a different sort of illusion about the Russian economy has been cultivated in Western capitals as well as in Moscow: 'You Russians pretend to be creating a law-based, market-friendly liberal democracy. We Westerners pretend to believe you--and what's more, we pay you for it.'... Any remaining illusions about the efficacy of Western-backed reform in Russia have been evaporating over the past few weeks with exceptional speed. The fibbing cannot go on forever, if only because both Russia (however imperfectly) and America are lively and rumbuctious democracies. The Clinton administration should clear the air and admit some hard truths about Western policy towards Russia. The real aim is not to create ideal outcomes, but to avert catastrophe: a hardline coup, a civil war, a nuclear leak. Avoiding disaster in a country with tens of thousands of nuclear warheads is undeniably a worthy aim of policy. But if this is the main purpose of credits to Russia, then America and other Western nations had far better say so, rather than pretend to be rewarding Russia for its government's less-than-impressive economic achievements. This suggests that Western governments should be prepared to take responsibility for whatever emergency aid they give Russia, rather than force the IMF to engage in games of make-believe."

"Moscow And China Cement Anti-NATO Pact"

The conservative Times (8/25) had this piece by diplomatic editor Michael Binyon in Moscow: "President Yeltsin and Jiang Zemin...will begin a rare summit meeting today that will underline the hostility in Moscow and Beijing to NATO's hegemony in Kosovo and the determination in both capitals to resist Western encroachments in their backyard.... Though regional security, border issues and trade form the bulk of the agenda, the real importance lies in reinforcing the Moscow-Beijing axis, and the growing determination of Russia and China to confront what they see as American world domination."

FRANCE: "A Fake Blindness"

Jacques Amalric opined in left-of-center Liberation (8/31): "In Washington, Paris and Bonn, everyone was saying that every effort was needed to help stabilize the new Russia, to help it find democracy, even if a part of that aid ended up in the wrong hands. This approach was acceptable in principle. But those in charge must have been truly blind if they could not see that Russia was turning into a 'kleptocracy.' Crime is no longer limited to the traditional sectors of prostitution, drugs, racketeering and weapons traffic. It is an integral part of all sectors of its economy, its administration and its political structure. It has contaminated the entire pyramid of the nation's power structure."

"The Trap"

Jacques Amalric commented in left-of-center Liberation (8/20): "Considering how unsuccessful the Soviet Union and Russia have been in the Caucasus, it is surprising to see the Kremlin and Prime Minister Putin use force to try and resolve the problem in Dagestan--unless the point is to exploit the situation for internal political ends.... Russia's indifference, its inability to imagine a mid-term policy for the Caucasus and its floundering defeat in Chechnya play in favor of the fundamentalist forces."

GERMANY: "Thoroughly Corrupt"

Centrist Sueddeutsche Zeitung of Munich (8/31) carried the following commentary by Moscow correspondent Thomas Urban: "Russia suffers not just because of the concentration of political power, but also as a result of its fatal oriental legal tradition. In the past, the law was always an instrument the rulers used to maintain and justify their power.... The rulers allow their officials to enrich themselves because it makes them (the rulers) stronger. Thus Russian officialdom--whether it be the police, customs, tax inspectors or housing officials--is thoroughly corrupt. The problem will not be over with the current scandal. And a change in power would not change anything, either. The only option is to wait and hope that the next generation is better."

"A Productive Scandal"

Left-of-center Die Tageszeitung of Berlin (8/31) had this comment by Erhard Stoelting: "For many the scandal about missing money comes at the right time. In the United States, the Republicans now have something to use against Al Gore...who has been responsible for relations with Russia since 1993.... It was not without reason that Gore, and the West, still supported Yeltsin. He seemed to offer the only alternative to the powerful Communist Party. That's why there was talk of 'continuing the reforms,' although the reforms had all but stopped. And the loans continued to grow. It is no coincidence that the scandal was made public now. Now there are non-communist alternatives to Yeltsin, especially Moscow Mayor Lushkov and his allies. They would not have been able to prevail against Yeltsin's enormous institutional power without a scandal that mobilized Western support."

"The End Of A Brave Vision"

Centrist Sueddeutsche Zeitung of Munich (8/31) commented: "It was not a good weekend for the Russians. The whole world wrote nasty things about their politicians...war wages on in Dagestan; and the MIR space station is now tumbling through space without a crew. Russians meanwhile know that corruption and politics in Moscow go hand in hand...and they know that the Caucasus is a powder keg. But they also know what the return of the last Mir crew to earth means: The space station is the last reminders of the good old Soviet times...when Russians still believed they were one of the most powerful and best nations on earth.... There is no more potent symbol for the moral collapse of the country's political elite than the planned demise of the broken-down Mir."

"Russian Doubts About The Modern World"

Herbert Kremp opined in the right-of-center Die Welt of Berlin (8/31): "The Yeltsin era, which began with hope, has devalued the worth of market economics and democracy.... The Russian crisis will overshadow the millennium."

"Clean Money In Dirty Channels"

Centrist Sueddeutsche Zeitung of Munich declared (8/29): "Does the Yeltsin clan have reason to fear? Of course not. The matter is certainly a few billion numbers too big for the Russian justice. And the impression it makes on the public, which will elect a new parliament in December and a new president next year, will depend much on the Russian media. It is not without reason that Yeltsin's people are trying to strengthen their influence there. What will suffer is Russia's somewhat restored creditworthiness. Members of the U.S. Congress have already announced their opposition to granting more money to Moscow. After all, 2000 is an election year not only in Moscow, but also in the United States."

"Visit To Kyrgyzstan"

In Berlin's right-of-center Die Welt, Herbert Kremp observed (8/26): "On a single decisive issue both [Moscow and Beijing] agree. Moscow and Beijing observe with distrust the efforts by the United States to contain Russian influence in Central Asia. The Americans are bringing big money to the Turkmen people. In order to break up the Russian pipeline monopoly, Washington is willing to do anything, even build a pipeline through Iran to the Gulf."

"The Bear Is Flirting With The Dragon"

Centrist Sueddeutsche Zeitung of Munich commented (8/25): "According to the agenda, Russia, China and the three former Soviet republics Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan will talk about trade and the reduction of troops at their borders.... For Yeltsin and Jiang Zemin those regional questions are of less interest. To them Chinese-Russian relations are more important. Moscow as well as Bejing want to reduce the United States' international influence."

ITALY: "Together With Yeltsin, The West Ends Up With Troubles"

Livio Caputo commented in leading, conservative opposition Il Giornale (8/31): "Before Russiagate becomes more clearly defined, we can comment on the inadequacy of the Western attitude towards Russia in general, and Yeltsin's regime in particular, as well as on the huge mistakes made during the various Russian financial crises. Since he was elected, Yeltsin has always benefitted from the almost unconditional support of the West. From Clinton to Kohl...they thought he was the only leader capable of assuring a very difficult transition from communism to the free market.... Chanceries and the press were aware that the situation was becoming catastrophic...but the alternative, a return to the past...was not attractive either.... Then suddenly, 'revelations' on widely known issues arrived.... In the interest of whom?... Many people suspect that behind the scandals there is Moscow's mayor...others think revelations are aimed at hitting Al Gore.... For sure, the day of reckoning is coming and, once again, the West risks...paying a dear price for its contradictions."

"What A Surprise! Russia Is Corrupt"

An editorial in provocative, classical liberal Il Foglio held (8/31): "The 'discovery' of Russian corruption...took place as the Duma elections and the American presidential elections approach.... The 'money-laundering'...is revealed by American multinationals which paid off-shore banks for imports from Russia instead of going through official channels.... The IMF is accused of having financed Russia.... But thanks to those interventions, the Russian catastrophe in 1998 was avoided.... Indeed Russian transition to democracy and the market is today's main problem.... Washington should evaluate it with a global sense of responsibility and some decency."

"There's Corruption At The Kremlin"

In a commentary in pro-DS (leading government party) L'Unita (8/28), Adriano Guerra maintained: "It's impossible not to wonder about the reasons that have led a few 'deep throats'...to speak up now, such as to simultaneously hit Yeltsin and his collaborators in Moscow and Vice President Gore...a supporter of a policy of friendship with Moscow in Washington.... Couldn't this be an attempt at modifying U.S. and Western policy towards Russia? That is, a 'no' to Russia and not only to Yeltsin? A 'no' signed by a Republican America."

"The King Lear Of Moscova"

Sandro Viola wondered in left-leaning, influential La Repubblica (8/28): "Behind this mushrooming of scandalous news there are the maneuvers, goals and the below-the-belt blows of three electoral campaigns--the December elections for Russian parliament, and next year's Russian and U.S. presidential elections.... Whoever decides to criticize the support given to Yeltsin by the West should first answer a couple of questions. Who else could we have supported on the Russian political scene between '91 and '96, if not Yeltsin? Who else seemed in a position to reject the assault of nationalists-Communists?"

"Brotherly Embrace In Bishkek"

Both leading, business Il Sole-24 Ore (8/26) and Rome's centrist Il Messaggero (8/26) noted that "the creation of a strategic alliance between Russia and China took another step forward yesterday in Bishkek...with the joint declaration about the creation of a 'multipolar system' versus the 'unilateral' model monopolized by the United States. After their 'brotherhood' of the Mao and Stalin days, and after the armed clashes in the sixties between the two former giants of communism, Moscow and Beijing are again pushed in the direction of a brotherly embrace by the circumstances of international politics."

"So It's A Victory"

Andrea Nicastro remarked from Moscow in centrist, top-circulation Corriere della Sera (8/25): "So, it is a victory.... But then, why yesterday did only the main international wire services talk of a Russian success while the Russian media didn't? Neither the general who announced it, nor the TV networks linked to one or another of the protagonists of the political scene, played the triumphal march.... Indeed, many things are not clear in this war."

"Russia In Chaos"

Sandro Viola opined in left-leaning, influential La Repubblica (8/24): "The certainty is that in the next ten months events will be tumultuous and violent. Yeltsin's men...will likely use public funds, corrupt magistrates and piles of material taken from the secret services to use against their adversaries.... It doesn't seem to me that [Yeltsin] has caused so much damage. Russia owes him a lot because without him, it could have been in the hands of neo-communist Zyuganov. And it is for this reason that the West has always, and rightly so, supported him. But in these last three years, Yeltsin himself has...undermined the building of the new Russia. No, chaos is not an inappropriate word to use...[in a country where] prime ministers enter and depart every few months.... It is probably this realization of Russia's internal chaos that sent Basayev to begin his operations within Dagestan's borders.... In that area of the Caucasus there is, by now, a proliferation of armed bandits that, under the flags of nationalism or of Islam, conduct...trafficking in contraband, arms or drugs. In order to confine this other mafioso (sic) quagmire, a less confused and tottering Russia is required. Instead, there's a Russia that seems to be a 'greater Albania.'"

AUSTRIA: "A Political Bomb From Moscow"

Foreign affairs editor Andreas Schwarz front-paged this editorial in conservative Die Presse (8/28): "At the end of his political career, President Yeltsin is about to produce the biggest political scandal in Russia, which might develop into a political bomb in the United States as well. Circles around Yeltsin are suspected of being involved in a fraud of unimagined dimensions, that is, of having diverted several billion dollars from IMF and American Food Aid funds for Russia, laundered them in U.S. banks, and put them into their own pockets. But was it really unimagined? In the United States, many questions arise: Was it unknown that a bank employee, who is accused of money laundering, is married to a former Russian IMF delegate?

"Was it unknown that the Russian Central Bank once speculated with IMF money? What did Vice President Gore, a close friend of former Prime Minister Chernomyrdin and one of the fierce supporters of loans for Russia, know or suspect about the involvement of the Russian leadership? Unequaled, however, is the Russian boldness: After the alleged money laundering, Yeltsin sends his prime minister (Stepashin) with a nice reform program to the United States to find out if they can spare further loans. After that, Yeltsin appoints a new prime minister charged with putting together another reform alliance to curb the rising opposition and guarantee the safety of the 'family' after Yeltsin's resignation. Yeltsin has not thought of Russia for a long time, and he will go into history with this accusation."

"A Rhetorical Alliance"

Josef Kirchengast asserted in liberal Der Standard (8/26): "The 'strategic partnership' between Russia and China, which was once again evoked in Bishkek on Wednesday, will not change anything.... Irrespective of land mass and population figures: What do the partners have to offer a world allegedly completely focused on the United States? What are their spiritual values in theory and practice which might counter fundamentalists of any kind? What is the economic strength of the two giants? The answers to these questions have to lead to the conclusion that this alliance is merely rhetoric and a way to raise self-assuredness rather than a demonstration of real strength."

BELGIUM: "In Russia, The Electoral Campaign Has Begun"

Pol Mathil commented in independent Le Soir (8/30): "When the decline of the USSR began, the Communist Party decided to save 'the left-overs.' It started a huge transfer of funds to the West, via its agents in embassies and KGB staffers abroad.... So, the USSR is dead, but the system is alive and well. But it is only now that the scheming which had been tolerated for ten years has reached dangerously critical proportions. It is not about the amount of Russian dirty money which Western banks whitewashed. Even the total amount of Russian money--more or less dirty--which was sent abroad, i.e. some $140 billion, does not represent a real danger for the global financial market's stability. But these $15 billion pumped into U.S. banks and the $40 billion transferred into Swiss banks...threatened to 'poison' the banking sector in these two countries and to reinforce the Mafia circuit. But this being said, this scandal could not explode at a 'better' political moment."

"China, Russia Reiterate Bombastic Formula"

Commenting on the Shanghai-Five meeting, Edouard Van Velthem opined in independent Le Soir (8/26): "During these ritual meetings, the most important events always take place behind the scenes.... And Mr. Yeltsin and Mr. Jiang--who had not met each other since last November when the Kremlin boss welcomed his Chinese guest from his hospital bed--discussed some of their favorite themes. They went back to the idea of a strategic partnership--a bombastic formula which is inversely proportional to its content. They also polished up their concept of a 'multipolar' world, a clear allusion to their will to counterbalance American omnipotence. But...one should not see in this rapprochement the conclusion of a military deal or the creation of an alliance against the West. Nevertheless, both Moscow and Beijing have probably savored this brief moment which enabled them to titillate the United States' planetary leadership, at the very moment when Washington is keeping a vigilant eye on the region.... As one Chinese diplomat audaciously put it: 'Thumbing one's nose is better than thumping one's fist.' It is harmless. But it soothes some frustrations."

"The Costs Of Losing Dagestan"

Philippe Paquet opined in conservative Catholic La Libre Belgique (8/20): "The oil pipeline bringing Baku's oil to the Black Sea is not the only thing at stake.

"In economic terms, for Russia, losing Dagestan after Chechnya would amount to giving up most part of the western bank of the Caspian Sea and the corresponding [oil] wealth which the latter is supposed to contain.... In terms of security, it would mean getting way out of its depth in a region where, in addition to being in the neighborhood of Turkey and NATO, it already has tense relations with two of the three independent states of the former USSR, Georgia and Azerbaijan."

CROATIA: "U.S. Prefers Russian Win In Dagestan"

Military analyst Fran Visnar commented in government-controlled Vjesnik (8/24): "America's interest in Russia's campaign in Dagestan is not to let the conflict there escalate and spill over into other countries of the region. Washington does not want war in the northern Caucasus to threaten Turkey and be used as an example for Turkish Islamic militants. Interception or destruction of (not only Russian) pipelines from the Caspian Sea does not suit the Americans. It would be best if the Russians win as soon as possible, since the United States does not need a destabilization of Russia, which would certainly be the result of its defeat in Dagestan."

DENMARK: "Yeltsin Must Go"

Center-left Politiken editorialized (8/31): "The humiliation of Russia's president appears almost complete. Every day the international press carries stories alleging that Boris Yeltsin and his family have accepted bribes and assisted in money laundering to the tune of millions of dollars. Yeltsin has one trump card yet to play--to decide to resign."

"Yeltsin Given Breathing Space"

Center-right Jyllands-Posten commented (8/26): "Yeltsin appears to have been given some breathing space by the fact that the Muslim rebels seem to have withdrawn from Dagestan. But the conflict has once again shown that Yeltsin lacks a long-term vision for a region that is characterized by poverty, unemployment and crime. Russia ought to initiate a development program for the region...and should also recognize Chechnya's independence."

FINLAND: "Chinese-Russian Understanding"

Leading, independent Helsingin Sanomat ran this editorial (8/28): "The two giant states and the three smaller have relatively few common interests. China and Russia have two: to stop nationalistic and religious movements from spreading across borders, and to contain the growing U.S. influence as the world's only genuine superpower. The Beijing-Moscow rapport should not be exaggerated. Both have much more lively economic relations with the West than with each other."

HUNGARY: "Yeltsin On Top Of Iceberg"

Independent Nepszava (8/30) carried an op piece by Katalin Halmai: "The political waves of this growing corruption have reached the shores of the United States. In certain analysts' view the whole scandal is being conducted from the United States and not from Russia, with the aim to make the Clinton administration and presidential hopeful Al Gore look bad. It may never be known what powers have been mobilized in the background in order to seize or to maintain power. All that has up till now been unveiled is just the tip of the iceberg."

POLAND: "Unreturnable Assistance"

Jan Skorzynski wrote in centrist Rzeczpospolita (8/29): "Revelations in the European and American press seem to confirm what has been long suspected: A large part of the money that the IMF wanted used to support reform in Russia has found its way to the pockets of Russian politicians, businessmen and common criminals.... The policy of the West towards Russia--whose main instruments have been the loans of the IMF--has ended in a fiasco. The money in large part has been wasted and the economic credibility of the IMF's prescriptions seriously undermined, while the country that Europe and the world wished to bring to life is getting sicker and sicker."

ROMANIA: "Mother Russia And Uncle Sam"

Leading foreign affairs analyst Bogdan Chirieac's editorial in independent Adevarul (8/31) maintained: "Russiagate: A scandal which has set Europe, Russia and America on fire... The American press has disclosed the fact that Al Gore was aware of these transactions.... Is it possible that Al Gore is guilty? Morally, certainly yes. But in terms of the realpolitik, not at all! Al Gore had in view, to start with, the interest of the United States and, secondly the interest of Russia. At this moment the interest of the United States, and of the entire world is that Russia remains stable.... The present leadership at the Kremlin...is corrupt, highly inefficient, and not truly democratic. Still, it cannot be described as an anti-West leadership.... America is satisfied because this regime is insuring a relatively stable Russia and allows the continued economic reform."

"In Russian Swamps"

Bazil Stefan's editorial in pro-government Romania Libera maintained (8/30): "To use banking institutions such as the Bank of New York and to abuse the good will of some American personalities such as Vice President Gore, is, indeed, unbearable. The corruption in Russia could have still gone unnoticed--better to say, the West would have still pretended that it didn't notice or that it didn't care--because after 1991 Russia has been continually given special treatment...for the simple reason that it was and still is the second biggest nuclear power in the world.... But this tolerance is not possible anymore.... If the West still pretends not to see anything, then it will get trapped in the Russian swamp."

SPAIN: "Fear In The Caucasus"

Conservative ABC remarked (8/24): "Restiveness is afoot in the Caucasus where Moscow has been unable to suppress an Islamic uprising over the past three weeks that it had vowed to eliminate in a fortnight.... For the first time in a century, Russia is losing control in the region. Neither Baku, Yerevan nor Tiflis want to find radical Islam at their doors. They had feared a Shiite threat from neighboring Iran, but now find themselves faced by Arabian Wahabism. The agony of empires is always painful; Russia's is also surprising."

SWITZERLAND: "The West Powerless In Face Of Russian Chaos"

Etienne Dubuis, foreign editor of leading, French-language Le Temps, front-paged this comment (8/31): "The corruption scandals shaking Russia these days bear witness not only to the pitiful state of the biggest country in the world, but also to the powerlessness of the West. Through media revelations, made possible by the launching of important electoral campaigns in both Russia and in U.S., the West suddenly finds itself before a spectacle of its failure and is pushed to react. Can it still react? Again, its lack of power is shocking. Continuing the same policies would be to encourage the same abuses. To change by showing less generosity would be to lose face because the amounts granted now are used to pay back interest on IMF funds."

"Yeltsin And Western Naivete"

Gerardo Morina, foreign editor of leading Italian-language Corriere del Ticino, stressed (8/30): "The revelations about corruption scandals around Boris Yeltsin seem to be getting farther away from sensationalism and becoming more concrete.... It seems to dawn on more or less everybody that neither Clinton nor Gore will be able to help Yeltsin.... The issue of billions of IMF dollars embezzled for the Russian mafia could also be...a way to sack the present [U.S.] vice president, considered a special interlocutor of the Russian leadership.... Did the West completely fail with post-Communist Russia? Was the West too naive in believing that flooding Russia with dollars would be the only way to support the post-Soviet political and economic system? The lesson to be learned is that wild capitalism, Russian mafia and political power make up an explosive combination."

MIDDLE EAST

EGYPT: "Western Double Standards"

Abdel Atti Mohamed wrote in pro-government Al Ahram (8/24): "Events in the Balkans and Russia are similar, but the Western position on each is different, which is another proof of a double standard. The West...intervened by force in the Balkans, but refrained to intervene in the Russian case.... The Islamic element is a major element in both disputes.... In the Balkans, the West wanted to intervene because the region is an essential part of it and there was no Islamic threat.... But the Caucasian region is far from the West and intervention would be a great risk."

BAHRAIN: "U.S. Desires Break-Up Of Russia"

Semi-independent Akhbar Al-Khalij (8/25) had this comment 8/25 by Mousa Saeed (Shia', critic of U.S. policy): "Although the Cold War is over, the United States still considers Russia an enemy which is not yet contained. The American administration believes that Russia has become a country which depends on U.S. aid and support, so therefore it will implement U.S. desires--or at least will not hinder American policies. But the crises in the Balkans and Iraq proved that Russia still can influence the developments in the world. In addition, it seems that the Americans are not satisfied with the collapse of the Soviet Union. They want to break up 'Russia the sick' into pieces, by exploiting the domestic problems it faces and the weakness of its leadership."

EAST ASIA

CHINA: "Talks Fail To Close Gap"

Zhi Yan said in the official English-language China Daily (8/24): "The United States and Russia, as anticipated, failed to make progress after the opening of arms control talks ended last week.... The U.S. actions to endow NATO with a new role and try to strengthen military cooperation with Japan...have led to a strategic imbalance in the world."

HONG KONG: "Five Nations Find One Voice"

The independent Hong Kong Standard remarked in its editorial on the Bishkek meeting (8/27): "The five nations, with their own ethnic problems, are deeply concerned about the NATO air strikes on Yugoslavia, seeing it as intervention in other countries' domestic affairs under the name of 'human rights.' The group, under the leadership of China and Russia, has been striving for a multi-polar world after the Cold War, but now it warily watches the United States attempting to build a 'unipolar world order' through Washington's domination.

"However, it would be far-fetched to say that the five nations would form a military bloc given their pledge of non-alliance diplomacy."

INDONESIA: "Fund Leaks And Scandal Hamper Reform"

Leading, independent Kompas asserted (8/31): "That politicians compete to disclose state-related scandals for their own ends is logical. It is not just those who wish to take the reins of power after Yeltsin who are involved, but also politicians outside Russia. U.S. Vice President Al Gore...is already under pressure from political rivals for his leniency toward a corrupt Russia."

"China And Russia Get Closer"

Leading, independent Kompas held (8/30): "In addition to enhancing their ability to counter U.S. domination...China and Russia have broadened their bilateral ties through increased defense cooperation.... China and Russia's increasing coziness is based upon mutual need. Russia especially perceives positive benefits to close relations with China: considerable earnings from arms sales, and the perception of Russia as an important country still needed by other parties. That image will make it easier for Russia to resist Western pressure in numerous affairs."

JAPAN: "Russia Should Hold Elections In A Civilized Manner"

Conservative Sankei editorialized (8/20): "Although Yeltsin named newly-appointed Prime Minister Putin as his successor, public support for Yeltsin...remains low.... Hard-pressed President Yeltsin may use the conflict in Dagestan to declare a state of emergency and suspend Duma and presidential elections.... Russia should conduct State Duma and presidential elections in a fair manner and live up to international expectations."

SOUTH KOREA: "With Primakov Back, Russia In A Whirlwind"

Cho Chul-hyun of conservative Segye Ilbo (8/19) observed: "With Primakov back in Russian politics, the country is experiencing something as grave as a movement of the earth's crust. He will be leading the so-called 'Fatherland-All-Russia' coalition party, and that will quickly accelerate the process of dissolving and integrating existing political parties.... Primakov will pose a threat to heir-apparent Putin in the upcoming presidential elections.... It will all come down to a competition among Primakov, Putin and Zhuganov of the Community Party. Russian politics is already moving fast, on a swift current."

VIETNAM: "China-Russia Strategic Cooperation Further Strengthened"

The lead editorial of Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Saigon-the mouthpiece of Ho Chi Minh City's Communist Party) declared (8/26): "What the United States really wants to see is an isolated Russia placed under the U.S. control. Therefore, it is no accident that even though ill, Boris Yeltsin still held bilateral talks with...Jiang Zemin at the summit meeting in Bishkek.... Strategic cooperation between Russia and China will play a key role in killing the schemes of the capitalists to push the world to the brink of war. It will also refute the argument that 'human rights trump sovereignty,' used to excuse the new U.S.-led interventionism."

SOUTH ASIA

BANGLADESH: "Preparatory Meeting On Arms Control Fails"

Pro-government Ajker Kagoj asserted (8/23): "The preparatory meeting in Moscow...to reduce nuclear arms has failed.... The U.S. proposal to amend the ABM treaty in the preparatory meeting is very dangerous. The proposal, in fact, cancels the prospect of any future accord. This further proves that the United States, irrespective of its talk about peace and democracy, wants to be the lone owner of these weapons so it can establish its absolute control over the world.... It will never be achievable because others will not eliminate their weapons. Instead, they will continue the arms race for their defense against the United States.... We urge the people of the United States and the world to raise their voices against the U.S. missile program and efforts to amend the ABM Treaty."

INDIA: "Zealots On Rampage"

The nationalist Hindustan Times opined (8/30): "The crisis in Dagestan has once again focused attention on the growing dangers of the use of Islamic mercenaries against multi-ethnic, multi-national states. Whether it is Kargil, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Algeria, Chechnya and Dagestan, the role of fundamentalists in fomenting trouble is threatening to acquire an ominous dimension."

"Islamic Underbelly"

The centrist Statesman ran this editorial (8/28): "Russia's troubles in the Caucasus do not seem to be over, though Russia is inflicting a heavy toll on Islamic militants in the Dagestan region.... Dagestan will certainly be a test for Yeltsin and Putin.... Any suggestion of a Chechnya-like fiasco could stymie Yeltsin's attempt to piece together a sizeable majority in the Duma.... The air is getting thick with allegations against Yeltsin and his family of corruption on a grand scale and Swiss bank accounts have been mentioned.... The problem of fundamentalist challenges to the unity of Russia is the wider question that will have to be addressed."

NEPAL: "Suspicion Of Political Instability In Russia"

Government-owned Gorkhapatra held (V/D, 8/21): "Yeltsin's...frequent changing of prime ministers might eclipse his political career as Russians have begun to call him...'Czar Yeltsin.'... He is known as the creator of instability because of his frequent changes in the government."

SRI LANKA: "Russia's Dilemma Deepens"

An op-ed article by Ameen Izzadeen in the newly-launched, independent tabloid Daily Mirror judged (8/20): "Moscow may have an eventual military victory. But events in Chechnya and Dagestan today show the need for greater political and economic reforms that would improve the living standards of the people.... Political instability--with five prime ministers in 17 months--is aggravated by the threat of nationalist and Communist elements in the Duma, eroding investor confidence. In the absence of effective implementation of political and economic reforms, Russia is doomed to remain a powderkeg."

WESTERN HEMISPHERE

ARGENTINA: "Unrest In Caucasus Tests Russia's Power Projection"

Guillermo Ortiz, international analyst for business/financial El Cronista, commented (8/23): "The fight in the Caucasus is strategic in terms of oil...[and] reveals that Russia is a key ally in the Islamic advance, in line with Western interests.... The fact that Russia guarantees its vital interests does not contradict its wish to maintain a cooperative relationship with the United States."

CANADA: "Yeltsin Opens The Campaign"

Frederick Wagniere noted in Quebec's centrist La Presse (8/19): "By appointing Vladimir Putin and by designating him as his successor and candidate for the presidency, Mr. Yeltsin seeks to defend his conception of a centralized Russia, as well as the economic interests of his cronies. For Yeltsin, the threat comes from Moscow's mayor--a threat that is especially real now that the regions seem to be more and more tired of the outdated ideas of the Communists, who are quickly losing momentum.... But the struggle between the Kremlin and the regions primarily takes place on the financial rather than on the electoral front.... As for Dagestan, this insubordination is less the result of a cultural and religious question...than of a desire to lead its own oil development policy in the Caspian Sea, in order to withdraw the biggest benefits."

For more information, please contact:

U.S. Information Agency

Office of Public Liaison

Telephone: (202) 619-4355

8/31/99

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