Posted on 09/16/2004 2:22:02 PM PDT by Lukasz
The European and Russian governments are living in two different worlds
"Business is politics in up-to-date Russia. The government controls all aspects of the nation's life and the commercial field is not an exception," the chairman of the committee "2008: Free Choice", Grand Master Garry Kasparov said on September 13th at the Baltic Forum of Development in Hamburg. Below you can find excerpts from the chess player's speech.
"We must draw a distinction between the current Russian leadership and the citizens of Russia. The rich culture, creativity, the knowledge and humanity of our nation is still alive and means a lot more to the world than the whole Russian oil," Kasparov said. "High oil prices make the only support for Putin's regime. Citizens of other oil-extracting countries do not derive profit from the oil wealth. Both oil and all other natural resources of Russia should have their own markets and open ways to reach those markets."
Garry Kasparov believes that Russia should unite with Europe. "This union would be important to the Russian nation for social and economic reasons. The traditions of the European democracy and the relative economic stability will help Russia become a modern state. However, Putin's regime mixes up the past and the present. A lot of Russia's neighbors are still being suspicious about Russia, and they have reasons for it. An order in the past is necessary for the future progress. The European and Russian governments are living in two different worlds," Kasparov stated in Hamburg.
"One of the examples to prove it is the fact how our media outlets defend the notorious pact of 1939 between Nazis and Soviets. The USSR attacked Finland because of the pact, it invaded the Baltic republics, occupied a part of Poland and assisted in unleashing WWII. Russia needs to acknowledge the crimes of its Soviet predecessors.
"The avowal of guilt is a good spiritual remedy, which also means the acknowledgement of universal moral values, which the Kremlin currently rejects. One of these values is the ability to find common language. Putin's administration does not know how to speak this language.
"The Soviet past still dominates the Russian reality and politics. Putin is aware of that. In his address to the nation after the hostage crisis in Beslan, the president said that the nation is living under the conditions, which have been created with the collapse of a great state, which proved to be helpless in the changing world. It would be the same to say that you have been living in a house without the water supply system," Kasparov said.
"The Soviet Union could not and cannot be a part of modern Europe. It could become a part of Europe only with its conquests. We must distinguish between modern Russia that we need and the Soviet past that Putin is trying to retrieve.
"There is no place for Committee 2008 and the real opposition in the Russian press. However, there is a place for nationalists and Stalinists, who grieve about that "great state." They decline basic democratic values. These talks about the return to the erstwhile glory are becoming more frequent now. The Nazi propaganda is prohibited in Germany, but not in Russia," Kasparov said.
"Unfortunately, this is not the only aspect, in which Putin exercises himself as a Stalinist. He talks about everything in the old Soviet language. He suppresses freedom of speech, freedom of commerce, he has led Russia astray.
"Putin announced that he would cancel elections of regional governors as a measure to struggle against terrorism. Local parliamentarians will have to approve the selected nominees. Putin is destroying democracy at the time when we need it most. Western politicians might say that the Russian Constitution technically allows it. However, if the West keeps silent, we will most likely witness similar changes happening in the presidential election procedure.
"Even the national lucrative oil market does not function according to the standards of the civilized world. The scandal with Yukos and its CEO, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, has exerted a destructive influence on the economy.
"It is impossible for Europe to deal with the current Russian administration. Europe should press on Putin for changes. One should not let Putin mix the Soviet past with the Russian future in an attempt to keep the relations.
"Schroeder and Chirac are using double standards instead, which brings a lot of harm to the Russian nation. It is not time for Realpolitik. Each meeting of the Group of Seven with Putin's participation is perceived as the approval of Putin's home policy.
I don’t know why you are talking about Orthodox religion over and over, it is not the theme. Beside of that Orthodox and Catholicism it is exactly the same religion with the same God, few different customs (only thanks to policy! cause bishops of Constantinople and Rome didn’t liked themselves few centuries ago) don’t change that fact. I repeat THE SAME GOD! Rest doesn’t matter!
And nothing wrong with the governmens punishing for such disobedience?
Poland is a Catholic country where Church leaders get more respect than politicians. I have seen people with Pope's pictures. streets named after him and even monuments (during his life!). In Russia, the Church had much less prominent position while the king had the first place in honor and devotion.
Similar in Protestant countries where people are more likely to carry pictures of politicians than religious leaders.
This is a cultural difference and not Putin's demand.
Actually in matter of politics there is a critical difference. In Catholic tradition the most elevated position belongs to the Pope and bishops. Pope was the overseer of the kings and bishops had special exemptions.
In Orthodoxy the King or Tsar is at the pinnacle and patriarchs/bishops are expected to be obedient to him (with the exception of spiritual matters of course). For the Catholics the Pope is their Holy Father, Russians called Tsar - Batiushka ie Daddy (in England to smaller degree there is also tradition of venerating the monarch).
Sounds like a Clear Channnel sponsored rally to me :P
Sounds like a Clear Channnel sponsored rally to me :P
Here are two old links
in case you've never seen them.
They're from a Christian
site run by some guys
with a background in Army
intelligence. They
are generally
left-leaning, but they're detailed
and usually
provide deep backgrounds.
And, in three years, I've never
caught them in a lie.
------------------------------------------------------
THE CAUCASUS MOUNTAINS, GOG, MAGOG, AND CHEVRON OIL
KOSOVO & AMERICA: WHAT'S GOING ON? [THE ELITE'S EXPLANATION OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CHECHNYA]
You've never read Thoreau, have you?
I have an enormous amount of respect for your nation and your people.
SOLIDARNOSC!
Thank you for the hint, but these quotes from Old Testament are in GREEK - in the New Testament and they match with the oldest translation of O.T. into Greek done by the Jews for the Jews long time before Christ (Septuagint).
Hebrew version underwent two major redactions after Christ. First in 2nd c. when number of books were removed by Jewish leaders (this removal was followed later by Luther and Calvin) and around 800AD by the Masoretes when the primacy of Talmud was established (Karaites rejected this). So the N.T. quotes from O.T. represent the most original version.
I am glad you appreciate the trade unionism.
I appreciated what they accomplished.
It was people telling government that things were going to change.
You however, are on the side of government telling people what to do.
They were not telling "that things were going to change", they were telling HOW they should change. And they got betrayed with the help of freemarketeers.
Betrayal of course, is defined by people like you as impressive and sustained GDP growth since 1993, with one brief slow down in 2001-2002...the whole world slowed down that year.
"Thank you for the hint, but these quotes from Old Testament are in GREEK - in the New Testament and they match with the oldest translation of O.T. into Greek done by the Jews for the Jews long time before Christ (Septuagint).
Hebrew version underwent two major redactions after Christ. First in 2nd c. when number of books were removed by Jewish leaders (this removal was followed later by Luther and Calvin) and around 800AD by the Masoretes when the primacy of Talmud was established (Karaites rejected this). So the N.T. quotes from O.T. represent the most original version."
Now this is a very interesting explanation, so you know from the Original Hebrew a few things have been altered? One example is what Peter is talking about in IIPeter 3.
Thank you.
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