By Ivan Danilov
Translated by Ollie Richardson and Angelina Siard
Source: https://ria.ru/20190527/1554927656.html
A potential break was outlined on the European front of the diplomatic fight for common sense. Thanks to the correct Russian strategy, influential European leaders ripened for correcting an old injustice that became the character of spoiled Russian-European relations and returned to the Russian delegation all rights within the structures of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
The balance of forces in PACE looks as follows. On the one hand, in a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron supported the complete recovery of the rights of the Russian delegation in PACE.
On the other hand, representatives of Ukraine promised to give the last and decisive battle to the pro-Russian deputies of PACE already on June 3rd and hinted that the position of leaders of Germany and France doesn’t impress them. The show promises to be enchanting, but what’s much more important isn’t how diplomatic fights will take place in PACE, but how it was succeeded to achieve the increased flexibility of the once inflexible European position concerning Russia.
There are all grounds to believe that progress in the PACE issue is connected to the banal, but consecutive pressure put on the painful point of our European partners — i.e., on their wallet. The process of bringing the European position in compliance with common sense started after the speaker of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin in January of last year announced the freezing of contributions to PACE: “Until the right of national delegations to participate in the work of the Assembly has been documented in the regulations of PACE, it will be incorrect to say that we will transfer these funds”.
It is necessary to recognize that the European authorities originally did not believe that PACE will remain without Russian financing and consequently – also without a considerable part of its budget.
Then the prospect of liquidating the organization itself due to it being no longer needed appeared in full in front of the leadership of PACE: if there is no Russia in PACE, then why should a structure that was initially needed as a platform for dialog between of legislators of Europe and our country exist? It was possible to reorientate PACE, but this is long, complicated, and, by and large, useless since without Russian contributions the budget of the organization would hardly cope with rebranding and repositioning, which anyway would most likely be unsuccessful.
After a financial demarche of Russian parliamentarians, a quite amusing process began that visually showed that in Europe there are still politicians who sacredly believe that it is possible to deceive Russia easily and that for this purpose there is only a need to show the necessary persistence.
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland
again and again – officially and on the sidelines – demanded the payment of contributions from Russia and even made ultimatums. For example, during the summer session of PACE of last year that took place in Strasbourg, Jagland “presented Russia a bill” and demanded that contributions be paid: “June 13th (2018 – ed) is the deadline for the payment of contributions”.
A year passed.
The position of the speaker of the State Duma and deputy corps remained invariable. And Jagland and his colleagues realised that Russia indeed will not pay. And if Russia is removed from PACE, then for Russia, in principle, nothing will change – because as we remember, the Russian delegation already could not work in PACE.
By January of the current year the situation started to acquire a comic character, and panic notes start to creep up in the tone of the messages of functionaries of the Parliamentary Assembly. This same Jagland put the deputies of European delegations in front of a fact: it is necessary to adopt a cut-down budget and it is necessary to consider that the economical measures introduced because of Russia harm the organisation since employees and service staff will not tolerate frozen salaries for long.
The price of the question is about €60 million. And this price, when combined with the perspective of losing the “meaning of life of PACE”, forced European parliamentarians to look at the situation a little more soberly.
It is impossible to exclude that the final diplomatic blow that tore the European blueprint was the recent statement of Volodin, who raised the stakes in the most direct financial sense and designated the desirability of refunding contributions, including those that were already paid to PACE for the period when the Russian delegation was disfranchised.
Even if the leadership of the Council of Europe wanted to fulfil this demand, it would all the same be impossible, because there isn’t enough money in the budget of the organization, even for normal daily activity.
Possibly, at this moment, the ice finally cracked, and the question of the Russian delegation’s return to PACE reached the highest political level in Paris and Berlin, which indeed led to the fact that the official position of Merkel and Macron strongly disappointed Kiev.
“After the ministerial meeting of the Council of Europe in Helsinki, the ball is now in the court of PACE. It is precisely there that the final battles over whether the Russian Federation will be able to return to Assembly, without having fulfilled any of the demands of the resolutions of PACE adopted in response to Russian aggression against Ukraine, will take place. Our opponents are geared towards finishing this affair at any cost. The Russians also understand that this is their chance,” said the permanent representative of Ukraine to the Council of Europe Dmitry Kuleba.
The Ukrainian deputies show a laudable will to win, but their problem is not the Russian delegation, but the position of European diplomacy recorded at a recent meeting of the Council of Europe. In the final statement of Foreign Ministers of the countries of the CoE a clear position that comes down to a thesis was documented: “All participants of the organisation should have equal opportunities to work in PACE, but contributions should also be paid”, which proves once again the importance of precisely the financial question.
Irrespective of how June’s battles in PACE will come to an end, it is possible already now to ascertain that Russia found a way to effectively interact with European partners. It is suitable even for those cases when, it seems, all bridges have already been burned, and the European politicians who set fire to the bridges affirm that Russia should “pay and repent”. The recipe that showed its efficiency on the example of food “anti-sanctions” and the conflict in the Council of Europe comes down to two ingredients: it is necessary to hit the Europeans in their wallet and to show demonstrative iron and inflexible patience.
The result will not be immediate, but it will be positive.
I don’t know why Russia even bothers with any of these EU/NATO puppet show. Those organisations corrupt Russian representatives as well and serve as a platform to spew Western propaganda and influence.
Marko
You have a point there. On the other hand, Russian presence does make it’s presence felt. Russia is reality, and it’s back in PACE.
Absolutely! Like the corrupt OSCE, another vehicle to blacken Russia and attack its interests. Political links to the corrupt and crumbling neo-liberal colony of the USA and Israel, aka the EU, are a wasted effort. Russia should do as the USA does through the NED and the other regime change organisations, ie aid those Europeans who want to end the servitude to the USA and Israel. You know-‘freedom activists’, and real ‘democrats’.
Mulga, you make some valid points and I share the sentiment that Russia is wasting its time in these goofy alphabet soups concocted by the rotten west…
My greatest concern right now is the OPCW which is now a huge problem…this utterly corrupt organization commands a lot of credibility that the lying corporate media use to underpin their war propaganda…this corruption of vital international bodies is very serious…let’s face it the vast money of the evil empire has captured every such body…what are Russia and China to do…?
One option is to disengage…the other, it seems is to keep showing up, only to get a custard pie in your face…?
The thing is that Russia wins moral victories, even as it wipes the pie off its face…it wins the respect of ordinary people around the world, particularly in the west…many of whom already see Putin as the true leader of the ‘free’ world…and at the same time the dirty pool of their own regimes…
Call it the patience of Job strategy…it’s worked before…Gandhi…MLK…ie do not stoop to their level…if you believe that good will ultimately win, then that’s half the battle right there…
Personally I know where you and the previous commenters are coming from calling these institutions pointless, in reality, they are far from a waste of time.
Russia is diligently eroding Western power, anywhere you look. They are not doing it for some idiotic goal of hegemony or domination, but because the West is a rabid dog that needs to be put down, before those morons destroy the whole world.
Organisations such as PACE may be useless on their face, but what isn’t useless is how Russia interacts with them. Russia makes promises, Russia keeps them, as long as the other parties also keep theirs. Russia presents itself as a reliable partner by keeping all their promises, treaties, agreements and so on. Certainly not something I welcome, but a great example nonetheless, is Russias arms exports (I’d rather they would export something useful to the world), which have exploded over the last decade. Exploded to the point where Washington feels the need to stop them because they are encroaching on their turf.
Russia proves they are a serious, reliable, willing international partner for other nations. They conduct themselves in the most mature, professional and pragmatic way possible no matter the situation, which is why they are so successful.
Washington needs to pressure their vassals more and more to keep them from reaching out, sometimes even the whip is not enough to prevent them from running into Russias arms. When it’s clear to everyone that the US has no power left, watch dozens of nations crawl out from under their thumb ready to partner up with Russia.
Again, no matter where you look, Russia is winning. You look at PACE, Russia won. You look at Ukraine, Russia is winning. You look at Iran, Russia has good relations. Venezuela, same thing. You look at Syria, Russia won. You look at Africa, Russia is winning… anywhere you look. They may lose a few small battles, but the “war” with their “partners” has long been decided.
It is probably “priceless” that Russia gets Crimean status recognised….
The Council of Europe has nothing to do with either the EU or NATO, As such, it acts as a small counterbalance to those other two organisations, and Russia’s presence and full involvement in CoE is to be welcomed.
Pull the other one, Petra-it has bells on!
No amount of leg-pulling and bell-ringing alters the fact that the Council of Europe has nothing at all to do with the European Union. It takes about 2 minutes to do some basic reading from a variety of sources to verify this.
The only commonalities are that some of the people (post-war world leaders) in the ’40s who were involved in planning the common coal and steel market (the predecessor to the EEC) were not surprisingly also involved in the setting up of the nascent CoE. And that the 28 EU member states are also members of the CoE (what a shock!)… along with 20 other countries.
Fear not, you are not alone in your confusion. So often do people get confused, usually from the USA but evidently also some other distant lands, that the CoE on their website has helpfully provided a page called Do Not Get Confused, which spells this out.
Petra, far be it from I to claim even partial clear-sightedness, but the same ruling class elite vermin and their apparatchiki control the Council of Europe and the EU. They control all Western elite organs of social and economic control. Here endeth the lesson.
Mean while ,Default on the IMF Debt! “President” Kolomoisky Has a Bold New Financial Plan For Ukraine!
As banderistan continues to contribute nothing but death and suffering continuing to drain the economy and the spirit from the ‘country’.reality slowly begins to appear on the horizon.
Continually turning the other cheek may win you a lot of respect but ultimately you’re going to end up with a badly bruised face.
I think the time has come for Russia and China (I include China because both need each other to achieve successful resistance) to abandon all these international bodies and create their own. For example, the UN has been totally compromised by the West, particularly you know who. Even the fact that it is located in New York works against Russia and China. I would love to see Russia and China create their own UN where countries disillusioned with the current body can join and be genuinely treated
as equals. I would suggest Russia and China build an artificial island located in either of their waters where they would place this new headquarters. Transparency of this new “UN” could be assured by televising to the world through its own channel and other platforms all meetings conducted 24 hours a day. The West can continue to have its New York UN but without Russian and Chinese participation. All countries of the world should be free to join this new body regardless of political affiliation but must adhere to free and fair rules that are lacking in the current UN.
Additionally, Russia and China should create its own International Court of Justice as well as its own Internet independent ftom the West. Basically they need to team up and create their own institutions that are not corrupted by the current big players. Most of us here in reality are waiting for a new just and fair world order. Bar actual divine intervention only Russia and China can achieve this with the support of like minded smaller nations.
I am not saying to create a new Iron Curtin but a real alternative. Citizens would still be allowed to travel freely and have the option of wanting to live in the West or in the East.
Excuse me for now being off-topic but we are all familiar with the flag of the European Union. What flag does the Eurasian Union have? I’ve come across one that is supposedly the flag of the EAU but it is ugly and has no impact. I propose that the EAU use a version of the flag of the USSR but the one I like and saw had the hammer and sickle in the middle of the red flag enclosed by two olive leaf branches and the star on top. I would also include somewhere the symbol of science to represent technology. I know this flag may offend the many here who despise communism but to me those symbols represent the original meaning of industry, agriculture and with the olive branches unity and peace. It would be a strong flag with intense meaning and would bring millions together. Just a thought.
“Russia is Sovereign and” is a law-abiding country, with an independent and strong judicial system, and there is no reason for its actions to be scrutinized by “anyone!”
Top IDF lawyer tells The Hague to back off, says Israel can probe own alleged war crimes
Top IDF lawyer tells The Hague to back off, says Israel can probe own alleged war crimes.
https://www.rt.com/news/460509-israel-lawyer-icc-jurisdiction-gaza/
Yes, indeed. When an Israeli Death Force killer ‘confirms the kill’ by emptying a whole magazine into a wounded 13yr old girl, he is indeed prosecuted-for misusing his weapon (waste of bullets perhaps?). That the ‘most moral Army in the world’ for you, if you follow Talmudic morality, that is.
The main driving force in this development is Germany. Behind the screen there has been a lot of German diplomatic activity, and the ultimate goal is to get rid of the sanctions.
German industry on the average has suffered 20-30% loss of revenue due to sanctions to the RF imposed by the USA (while the USA has increased imports of Russian oil!), their influence keeps Nordstream 2 afloat and Merkel in place as long as she listens.
Germany and Russia are also in direct talks: http://tass.com/politics/1060548
At a certain moment business has to prevail. As Berthold Brecht said, “Erst kommt das Fressen, dann kommt die Moral.”
Cheers, Rob
Not a hope. Germany is not even an independent country, and the Zionazis only have to snap their claws and every German politician falls to his belly, groveling. Now, if Israel wants an opening to Russia-that would be a different shtetl of fish.
You may have a point Mulga, but I care to have some second thoughts;-)
The Anglozionists may colonize Germany, but I have some doubts whether they are so omnipotent as they think. If they are, then please explain to me how Russia rose again to their present power, while being thrown to their toes after the collapse of the USSR in the nineties?
Hint: imho they didn’t pay attention, so busy with their pleasing Oded Yinon wars.
Staying under the radar might be the right approach. Germans do. Just ignore the usual press releases, Germans are polite and very reluctant in expressing their true views, unless they know and trust you.
What do they have to threaten, do they want to bomb Dresden again?
DC can yell and threaten as much as they want, but this planet is so much intertwined that you cannot do that anymore without getting hurt yourself. Throttling Iranian oil exports results in the USA forced into increased importing Russian oil, e.g. (The Saudis may shout that they will compensate, but they simply can’t).
China just has to close it ports for a month, and a civil war will break out in the USA while the Wal Marts are running dry with goodies.
Maybe they once were, but they are not calling all the shots anymore. For the rest I agree with the post of Serg above. Times are changing.
Cheers, Rob
The Ukrainians, if they had any sense, would re-establish links with Russia and repudiate their silly one-sided deal with the EU. That would surely make the pigs squeal. :)
LOL. You mean if they had any balls?
Ukraine was Pompeo’s (temporary) peace offering to Putin in return for…?!
Watch for Russia’s (temporary) distancing herself from China. And Trump’s increased pressure on China on the military front in order to force China into a (desperately needed) trade deal.