Ukraine and Georgia Examples Disturb the CIS Members

turkishweekly ^ | 29 December 2004 | Mirza Cetinkaya

[Lukasz]

CIS Anxious About 'Orange Revolution'

Several members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) are anxious following the successes of the 'rose revolution' in Georgia last year and then the 'orange revolution' in Ukraine.

Ukraine has recommended the 'orange revolution' to other CIS countries, especially to Russia. Most are curious about what Ukraine's strategy will be going forward. Experts tell Zaman that the movement in Ukraine that originally stemmed from internal dynamics, despite its external affects, might lead to concern that it may set an example for all CIS members. The Deputy Head of the Carnegie Endowment for Peace's Moscow office, Dmitri Trenin, described the developments in Ukraine as a 'middle range democratic bourgeois revolution' and said that Ukraine has different, but extremely critical importance for Russia, the European Union (EU), and the US. Trenin expressed that the Kremlin perceives the government overturn in Ukraine as a 'revolution threat' and indicated that this was the most serious foreign policy test for Russia since 1991. He said there is concern that a revolution like this organized and funded by the US could occur in Russia as well. Trenin added that these kinds of developments are planned movements, but says Russian liberals are interpreting this in other ways.

Izvestia newspaper says all the initiatives urged by the Kremlin regarding Ukraine have failed and described the developments in Ukraine as "Russia's biggest foreign policy failure since the dissolution of the United Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)." Russian leader Vladimir Putin was perceived as the most respected and beloved person in Ukraine before November. According to Trenin, CIS elites share Moscow's concerns and show the same reaction to the export revolutions.

Ukraine's Effect on the EU and Russia

Dmitri Trenin emphasized in particular that Victor Yanukovych, rival to the victorious Victor Yushchenko, and current leader Kuschma were not "pro-Moscow" adding: "Russia joined the game and supported the presidential candidate too late. Ukraine will remain the same as it was in the old days. The most significant question is with whom Ukraine will integrate and cooperate. Yushchenko wants to integrate with the West. This will take a long time. Will the enlarged EU ship be able to carry anyone else?" Trenin says the key lies beyond the suggestions of Russia and EU. He also disclosed that Ukraine, which might be the US' most powerful regional ally along with Poland in the future, is also very significant for the EU because of the tension it raises in Russian relations.

[Lukasz]

Ukraine and Georgia Examples Disturb the CIS Members dictators.

Too much democracy for CIS's dictators.

[Leo Carpathian]

Dmitri Trenin emphasized in particular that Victor Yanukovych, rival to the victorious Victor Yushchenko, and current leader Kuschma were not "pro-Moscow" adding: "Russia joined the game and supported the presidential candidate too late. Ukraine will remain the same as it was in the old days.

Gimme a break!

Kuchma and Yanukovych are rasPutin's puppets! Just look at the measures they were implementing, from the old Soviet playbook. Clamping on press, killing journalists, poisoning Yushchenko, rigging elections. Wake up!!

Ukraine (western) had a taste of West when under Austro-Hungarian Empire, freedom and western democracy is not the new thing. Russia can't shake its imperial mentality. Corruption, old KGB connections will die hard. Ukraine is already different and showed it with see of orange across the country. Belarus and Moldova are in grip of rasPutin, but they may get the orange message soon too. This is SERIES!!!

[Grzegorz 246]

Belarus is the next target of our conspiracy :)

[Lukasz]

and Moldova only for pleasure :)