Pravda, Russia
July 7 2005
Strong Russia annoys USA
07/07/2005 10:06
The USA still can not understand that it did not win the Cold War
US Senate Committee for Appropriations has expressed concern about
the strengthening of Russia’s role in the countries of the former
Soviet Union. The Committee called on the State Department to convoke
an international conference on issues relating to the promotion of
democracy in the region. “Opposing a growing threat posed by Russia
to the countries which are in transition to democracy should be a
priority to the US,” says the statement. “The Committee points out
that successful democratic reforms in those countries will be of
crucial importance to support and promotion of democratic development
in other countries including Belarus,” says the cover letter to a
budgetary bill passed by the Committee. The 2006 budget of US
Department of State allows for $85 million to be allocated for
democracy and reform promotion programs in Russia. The committee
signed off on a total sum of $565 millions to be allocated for
support of democracy, economic reforms, supremacy of the law in the
countries of the former Soviet Union. The above sum is expected to
break down as follows: $95 million to be allocated for Ukraine; $75
millions for Armenia; $70.5 million for Georgia; $38 million for
Azerbaijan; $35 million for Kyrgyzstan; and $15 million for Belarus.
Different sizes of funds earmarked for democracy promotion are quite
noteworthy. On the one hand, $85 million will hardly make a
difference for Russia no matter what we are talking about. On the
other hand, $95 million for Ukraine and $75 million for Armenia look
like a big amount of money. The money could give a huge boost to
supporters of “orange” revolution in Ukraine. It could also disrupt
political stability in Armenia. Speaking to the press on the eve of
the Astana summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Uzbek
President Islam Karimov openly accused the American “directors” of
engineering upheavals in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Politicians and
common people alike in every Central Asian republic of the former
Soviet Union say explicitly that they have more trust in Russia
despite a wide variety of aid programs offered by the Americans.
Besides, US military presence in Central Asia is a source of concern
to China. During the summit meeting in Astana, members states of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization voiced their desire to effect
independent control over the situation in the region.
Konstantin Zatulin, the State Duma deputy and director of the
Institute of the CIS studies, says that funds allocated by the US for
the “promotion of democracy” aim to promote a US model of democracy
and spread US influence in the above countries. “United Russia or any
other pro-government party in Russia will not get a penny of those
funds, Ukraine’s opposition will get the money either,” said Mr.
Zatulin. It is obvious that the US has long put to good use a certain
pattern and methods for carrying out foreign policy operations.
Calling a government democratic or undemocratic is just a ritual to
the USA “After that they use the whole range of tools available for
toppling unfriendly regimes, huge funds involved in such operations
are beyond any comparison to those which are allocated officially,”
said Mr. Zatulin. “The Cold War is over, but some old habits die
hard,” added he.
Mr. Zatulin believes Russia should use similar methods. “Taking into
account that Russia has become a country with a multiparty political
system and market-oriented economy, Russia should cast aside its fake
shyness and use the weapons of the West in this field of activity,”
said he. Despite a significant difference in financial resources of
the two countries, Russia is much more interested in developing
democracy in the neighboring countries. Pro-Russian forces could only
step to the fore only when democracy is in place. “Why don’t we set
the ball in motion in the Baltic states?” said Mr. Zatulin.
“As regards Armenia, Russia’s only ally, the country is a principal
candidate for the next “color” revolution, the size of officially
allocated funds reflects a priority, but yet it is the tip of the
iceberg as I told you earlier,” said Mr. Zatulin with regard to a
“cost estimate” of US Senate Committee. Aleksei Zudin, head of
political sciences department of the Center of Political
Technologies, points out that Washington’s idea of democracy for the
countries of the former Soviet Union actually implies the
establishment of regimes which are dependent on the US “A political
instability zone is being built around Russia by stepping up
democratic developments which can not create strong political
institutions, on the contrary, political institutions can only grow
weaker as a result,” said Mr. Zudin.
Those who place an order for revolution and work behind the scenes
are fully aware of consequences. In other words, the instigators of
the “color” revolutions in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan had planned the
overthrowing of the authorities by force.
America has a number of priorities with regard to funds allocated for
the “promotion of democracy.” The size of funds will be commensurate
with those priorities. The White House is planning to make a serious
political effort in countries than border on Russia. Operations in
Russia are aimed at producing “irritating effects” only.
“The USA still can not understand that it did not win the Cold War,”
said Mr. Zudin. He believes that Americans are wrong to liken the
defeat of Nazi Germany to the collapse of communism. The dismantling
of Nazism brought out winners and losers, “democratic teachers” and
“democratic students.” The collapse of communism was caused by
internal factors, not the external ones. Nations who got rid of
communism without US assistance simply reject being lectured by
foreign “experts” on ways and pace of reforms they should follow.
They can not accept compulsory export of democratic institutions
either.
Mr. Zudin believes Russian-US relations are getting increasingly
paradoxical. Partnership and cooperation in some areas are
accompanied by the attempts aiming to put unilateral pressure on the
political process in other areas.