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Friday, April 4, 2008 Volume 12 Number 64
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Russia
NATO DECISIONS PRESENT MIXED RESULTS FOR RUSSIA...Several West European countries led by Germany and France succeeded at the NATO Bucharest summit on April 3 in blocking moves by the United States and some of the alliance's newer members to offer Georgia and Ukraine a Membership Action Plan (MAP), which is an important stage on the road to full membership, international media reported (see "RFE/RL Newsline," March 28 and 31, and April 1, 2, and 3, 2008, and End Note, "RFE/RL Newsline," March 17, 2008). German and other opponents of the MAPs made it clear that they were guided at least in part by a reluctance to offend Russia, which firmly opposes NATO expansion. NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said nonetheless that "NATO welcomes Ukraine's and Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations for membership in NATO. We agreed today that these countries will become members of NATO." Alliance members proved less sympathetic to Moscow's concerns over the proposed U.S. missile-defense system, components of which are scheduled to be based in Poland and the Czech Republic. De Hoop Scheffer said that the "allies agreed...that there is a threat and that allied security must be indivisible in the face of it. They recognized the substantial contribution that the planned United States [missile-defense] system will provide and have decided to task NATO to develop options for a comprehensive missile-defense architecture to extend coverage to all allied territory and population not otherwise covered by the U.S. system." U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called the decision a "breakthrough agreement" for NATO. She said the alliance "also asked Russia to stop its criticism" of the project. U.S. and Czech officials said on April 3 they reached an agreement on stationing a U.S. radar site in the Czech Republic. Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg said that "it's an agreement with us and entirely up to us to agree if Russian, or other officers, or Americans come onto Czech soil" (see "RFE/RL Newsline," February 27, and March 7 and 20, 2008). Russian President Vladimir Putin is attending a closed meeting of the NATO-Russia Council on April 4. Earlier, he and de Hoop Scheffer signed an "exchange of letters on the ground transit of supplies for the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan through Russian territory," Interfax reported. Putin and U.S. President George W. Bush will meet in Sochi on April 6. PM ...AND RUSSIAN REACTIONS ARE 'RESERVED' "The Moscow Times" reported on April 4 that the "public reaction from Russian officials [to the NATO summit decisions the previous day] was relatively reserved, with Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko reiterating earlier statements that membership for Georgia and Ukraine would be 'a huge strategic mistake, which would have most serious consequences for pan-European security.'" The daily noted that "Konstantin Kosachyov, the head of the State Duma's International Affairs Committee, said the decision demonstrated a 'responsible attitude.' Russia's envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, said the decision to wait on Ukraine and Georgia was expected, and that Kyiv and Tbilisi will experience delays on the path ahead." He told "Kommersant" of April 4 that Russian officials "accepted calmly" the Bucharest decisions, adding that in Moscow "there were no cheers or uncorked champagne bottles, nor will there be." He noted that there is a possibility there will be no final statement after the NATO-Russia Council meeting, but added that "there is no need to dramatize" the matter. Rogozin said that "we have to dramatize only when they do not listen to us or understand us." He criticized NATO's decision not to have President Putin make a formal speech to the council as an effort to "gag him.... But Putin is a creative person. He will always find a way to have his say" (see "RFE/RL Newsline," March 28, 2008). Newsru.com on April 4 noted that NATO indeed appeared to be "gagging" Putin, but quoted unnamed Kremlin sources as saying that Putin's remarks will be "restrained." Also on April 4, ITAR-TASS quoted an unnamed "high-ranking Kremlin official" as saying that "whatever we say, the role of NATO as a stabilizing organization objectively exists, as does the striving of some states to join this organization. We proceed from the fact that more close, open, and equal cooperation with NATO is in keeping with Russia's interests. The question is how our interests are taken into account in this cooperation." But Sergei Ryabkov, who heads the Foreign Ministry's department for European cooperation, said in Moscow on April 4 that "we have new concerns about plans to integrate U.S. missile-defense plans with NATO system.... We can't sit by and watch how they...[change] the security situation for Russia," news agencies reported. PM VENEZUELA REPORTEDLY WANTS RUSSIAN SUBMARINES Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is negotiating with Russia for a $800 million loan to buy four Kilo-class diesel submarines as part of a deal concluded earlier this year, the daily "Kommersant" reported on April 4. Chavez has emerged in recent years as a well-publicized customer for the Russian arms industry, seeking products ranging from Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifles to submarines and jet aircraft (see "RFE/RL Newsline," June 28 and 29, July 2, August 16 and 21, October 30, and December 6, 2007). In its unconfirmed report, "Kommersant" speculated on April 4 that Russia's Vneshekonombank is the most likely source of a possible loan to Chavez, who has presumably overstretched himself through foreign and domestic spending projects and economic mismanagement. The daily suggested that he will sign the deal when he attends the inauguration of President-elect Dmitry Medvedev in May. "Kommersant" added that "observers say the loan is a risky one. Chavez has active opposition in Venezuela that has tried to overthrow him repeatedly and come close to succeeding. He is not expected to go to war with anyone. As one Russian official commented, 'he simply likes saber-rattling.'" PM BEREZOVSKY DENIES ORDERING POLITKOVSKAYA'S KILLING... Self-exiled Russian businessman Boris Berezovsky on March 3 denied allegations made by Dmitry Dovgy, a senior Investigative Committee official under investigation for possible corruption, that Berezovsky ordered the October 2006 killing of "Novaya gazeta" correspondent Anna Politkovskaya "through" Khozh-Akhmed Nukhayev, a former Chechen field commander and reputed crime boss (see "RFE/RL Newsline," March 31, and April 2, and 3, 2008). "The Moscow Times" on April 4 quoted Berezovsky as denying Dovgy's allegations, made during an interview with "Izvestia," and saying that he could not remember ever meeting Nukhayev, whom prosecutors say ordered the 2004 slaying of U.S. journalist Paul Klebnikov in Moscow. "The person who ordered [Politkovskaya's] murder is in the Kremlin," the English-language daily quoted Berezovsky as saying by telephone from London. In an April 3 interview with Ekho Moskvy, Berezovsky called Dovgy's charges "absolutely unfounded" and said Dovgy made them on the instructions of the Russian authorities. "It's another attempt to lead the investigation away from a search for the persons who really ordered the crime," Berezovsky told the radio station. Newsru.com on April 3 quoted Ekho Moskvy commentator Yulia Latynina as saying that Dovgy gave the interview to get public opinion on his side and that Berezovsky was not involved in Politkovskaya's killing. JB ...WHILE EDITOR LINKS SPECIAL SERVICES TO HER 'POTENTIAL KILLERS' Several of the late Anna Politkovskaya's former colleagues from "Novaya gazeta" denounced Dovgy's claims that Boris Berezovsky and Nukhayev were behind her death. "The Moscow Times" on April 4 quoted Sergei Sokolov, a deputy editor at "Novaya gazeta," which is conducting its own investigation into the murder, as chastising Dovgy for "using [Politkovskaya] in the battle for high-level positions within the law enforcement agencies." Sokolov called Dovgy's allegations "pure beastliness." The editor in chief of "Novaya gazeta," Dmitry Muratov, told Ekho Moskvy on April 3 that in naming those who allegedly ordered Politkovskaya's killing before the case went to trial, Dovgy has committed an "official crime." Muratov said that Dovgy and other law enforcement officials are using Politkovskaya to enhance their careers. "By mentioning the names of Berezovsky [and] Khozh-Akhmed Nukhayev, they are presenting the authorities with proof of their loyalty," Muratov said. He added, "In the next issues of the newspaper we will...expose the mutual relations between the Politkovskaya's potential killers and the law enforcement organs and special services that became known to us as a result of our investigation." JB POLICE DENY HERMITAGE CEO IS UNDER INVESTIGATION Moscow city police have denied a newspaper report that tax-evasion charges have been filed against Hermitage Capital Management CEO Bill Browder and the fund's general manager, Ivan Cherkasov, "The Moscow Times" reported on April 4. "Kommersant" reported on April 3 that the investigative unit of the Interior Ministry's main directorate for the Central Federal District had charged Browder and Cherkasov with large-scale tax evasion and quoted police as saying they would ask a court for an arrest warrant for the two men (see "RFE/RL Newsline," April 3, 2008). However, "The Moscow Times" quoted Moscow city police spokeswoman Anzhela Katuyeva as saying, "The Moscow police issued no arrest warrant for Browder and no tax-evasion case is pending against him as far as we know." "The Daily Telegraph" reported on April 4 that Russia's Interior Ministry has issued a "firm denial" of the "Kommersant" story, saying, "The investigative unit of the Interior Ministry brought no charges against William Browder." The British newspaper also reported that according to Hermitage, "a senior Russian police officer at the Interior Ministry aided by other law enforcement officials -- all suspected to be connected to the Russian mafia," had tried to steal at least $360 million from the company. According to "The Moscow Times," Hermitage responded to the "Kommersant" story by circulating a 61-page dossier rebutting the allegations and accusing some Interior Ministry officials of a "campaign of harassment" against the company. The dossier called the tax case against Browder, who was barred from entering Russia in November 2005, "a personal attack" on him for "fighting against corrupt officials in Russia." It also said that Browder asked First Deputy Prime Minister Medvedev at the 2007 World Economic Forum in Davos for his personal help in restoring Browder's visa and that Medvedev offered Browder his support. "The Moscow Times" quoted an unnamed Hermitage representative as saying the company decided to release the dossier following a tip from a "Kommersant" reporter that unnamed Interior Ministry officials were leaking information. JB DUMA PASSES AMENDMENTS RESTRICTING REFERENDUMS The State Duma on April 4 approved in the third and final reading amendments to the constitutional law on referendums imposing new restrictions on holding national referendums. The Duma voted 363-8 in favor of the amendments, which, AP reported, effectively bar referendums on issues such as the national budget, taxation, or treaties. Newsru.com quoted State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov, who heads the Duma's dominant Unified Russia faction, as telling journalists he was against certain "political forces" using the idea of a referendum to "destabilize the political situation." According to the website, the changes mean the Central Election Commission will have the authority to determine whether a proposed referendum complies with the constitution. If the commission rules that a referendum does not comply with the constitution, then the Russian Supreme Court will ask the Constitutional Court for a ruling, and the Constitutional Court's decision on whether or not the referendum should be held will be final. The amendments were strongly opposed by Communist Party legislators, who, according to AP, walked out before the vote in protest, saying it deprived Russians of a voice in deciding issues of national importance. In response to the Communist walkout, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky suggested the Communist Party should be banned. JB RUSSIAN SECURITY FORCES SEIZE ARMS CACHE, ARREST MILITANTS An unsigned Russian Interior Ministry statement announced on April 2 that Russian security forces seized an arms cache in the village of Ulus-Kert in Chechnya's Shatoysky district, Regnum reported. The arms cache included small arms and explosives. In cooperation with Russian forces, local Chechen police also arrested a suspected Chechen militant in the Shelkovsk region the same day. The 24-year-old suspect is believed to be a former member of a Chechen band of fighters commanded by Uvais Akhmadov. A second man, a 51-year-old resident of the village of Ishchersk in the Naursk region, was also arrested for allegedly providing aid to Chechen militant forces. RG
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