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At a press conference conducted on March 16 in St Petersburg,
one of the leaders of the Yabloko party and Deputy Speaker
of the State Duma, Vladimir Lukin, said that a civilised
Europe must condemn the mass-scale festivities being held
in Latvia and involving fascists.
Vladimir Lukin also noted that "relations between Europe
and the Baltic states are based on a policy of double standards."
Recalling the "sharply negative attitude of the Western
Europe to the victory of the Freedom Party of Jorg Heider
at parliamentary elections in Austria", he added that complete
and utter silence had been the reaction to the "open march
of former fascists in Latvia". At the same time Vladimir
Lukin spoke against the introduction of economic sanctions
against the Baltic states, calling them a "double-edged
weapon".
According to Lukin, Russia has "ample opportunities for
more correct and no less sensitive" ways and means of protecting
the interests of Russians in Latvia. On March 16 over a
thousand former members of the SS legion and their advocates,
holding flags decorated with mourning ribbons, conducted
a march in the centre of Riga to recall their comrades who
died during the Second World War.
Based on Interfax reports.
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Vladimir Lukin
thinks that PACE may suspend Russia's membership
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Vice Speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation
Vladimir Lukin (the Yabloko faction) thinks that Russia's
membership in the Parliamentary Association of the Council
of Europe (PACE) may be suspended.
He made this statement at a press conference in St Petersburg
on March 16, 2000. In April the PACE session in Strasburg
will consider the implementation by Moscow of the so-called
"ten definite requests of PACE to the RF government" with
regards regulation of the situation in Chechnya, which will
form the grounds for deciding on the issues of Russia's
membership in the Council of Europe.
According to Vladimir Lukin, the result of the recent trip
of the PACE delegation headed by Lord Judd to Chechnya may
"have an extremely detrimental effect on Russia's position,
as it is difficult to explain to the Europeans why the anti-terrorist
operation has led to ruined cities and why the percentage
of casualties among civilians and the Russian military is
so high".
Also "their encounters with refugees where they came across
people bearing anti-Russian slogans constituted a tough
psychological blow for European members of parliament members",
noted Vladimir Lukin.
At the same time, Lukin thinks that Russia's membership
of the Council of Europe will not be suspended. He thinks
that "the maximum that Moscow can expect" is "a freezing
of our participation in the work of PACE".
However, he noted that in any case "such a decision would
be a serious psychological blow to our country". Recalling
that the Council of Europe is engaged in overseeing compliance
with "European standards", Vladimir Lukin noted that suspension
of Russia's membership in any PACE structures would imply
"recognition of our failure to comply with these standards,
i.e., that Russia is not a European country".
Based on Interfax reports.
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