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Press release on 17.03.2000
 
Vladimir Lukin: Europe must condemn the march of the former SS legion in Latvia

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.

Vladimir Lukin thinks that PACE may suspend Russia's membership

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.