Today's 'Segodnya' again writes about PM Yulia Tymoshenko's most uncharacteristic current purdah.
LEvko can inform them that Ms Tymoshenko has been speaking to the "F.T." over a cup of tea. They will be running the interview in tomorrow's edition..
The question now is, have the events of the last few days in Georgia make it more likely, or less likely that Ukrainians would support membership into NATO in any referendum.
On March 11, 2008 I posted this:
"Couple of interesting O.P.'s from today's "Segodnya"
The majority of Ukrainians - 75,1%, approve of neutral status for Ukraine; 9,8% are against, 15,2% had difficulty answering.
62,3% of respondents are in favor of conducting a referendum on the entry of Ukraine into NATO, 24,9% against such a referendum, 12,8% had difficulty answering."
The O.P. indicated that overall, 56% of Ukraine's citizens would be against the entrance of Ukraine in NATO, 21,6% for the enty into the alliance, 8,3% would not participate in any referendum on this question."
Many Ukrainians think Georgians, Ossetians, and other Caucasian nations are, stereotypically, hot-headed cut-throats - I believe sympathy for any of them is limited. Stalin and Beria were Georgians. However, the Kremlin's heavy-handed behaviour in recent days will be a source of great anxiety..The majority may consider that the best guarantee of security for their country would be modern, well-equipped Ukrainian armed forces.
PS A few moments ago the 'Batkivshchyna' website have just posted an official statement from the BYuT VR fraction on the Georgia crisis. It is totally non judgemental - the only criticism is directed at the President's Secretariat.
E.g. "Ukraine's parliament should do everything possible to ensure that our country is not dragged into conflict on any of the sides. The effectiveness of the peacekeeping activities of Ukraine will depend on this.."
This statement is in clear contrast to those being made by the President and his Secretariat. Maybe more on this later.
PS In order to realize Ukraine's dilemma over its stance on NATO and the Georgia crisis, check out this video of BBC Newsnight discussion tonight, paying particular notice of the comments of Aleksander Nekrasov, a normally a level-headed Russian commentator. Take it from 24 minutes into the clip onward..The response from the lady leading the discussion is priceless..
5 comments:
WHOA, NELLIE!
"There's nothing anyone can do to rasha, rasha is not afraid of anything"
"If you think Georgia is a mess, wait until Ukraine - you haven't seen anything yet"
And the Sun headline: "we'll NUKE Poland"
PLUS - rashan state-owned companies systematically sold of US bonds at the start of the Georgian war - at a loss.
What on earth are they eating in the Kremlin, suicide pills?
They need to get out into the sun a little bit more.
Personally, I hope that the rashan state-owned companies keep selling off US bonds - at a loss.
It's called cutting off your nose to spite your face - all for the sake of Pootie being able to appear in news photos with his shirt off as a "manly man."
rashans really do need to get out of dungeons a bit more.
What can I say, I find your site very informative and reasonably balanced.
Having watched closely the various reports on the Georgian conflict I could not but help question the motive and inflammatory actions of Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko, a man who impresses me very little and who seams to be acting on the orders of operatives in the White House more so then in the best interests of Ukraine.
Diplomacy is an art form and if Ukraine is to have an influence in the region then it should not be been to be partisan or one sided.
The Georgian crisis was without any doubt provoked by the Georgian President,who must share full responsibility for the events that unfolded.
This criticism is not be seen to say that the Russian response was necessarily justified. No armed conflict can be fully supported even under the pretense of self defence.
I think Yulia has shown the appropriate level restraint under the circumstances.
Whilst Yushchenko, under the terms of Ukraine's Constitution (Article 106.3), has responsibility for the administration of Foreign Affairs the determination of Foreign Policy is the responsibility of the parliament.
Article 85. The authority of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine comprises
...
(5) determining the principles of domestic and foreign policy;
Ukraine needs to be far more diplomatic and less decisive and reckless it is to play constructive role in regional affairs.
There is nothing to gain by acting as a bull in a china shop except self destruction.
Correction
Ukraine needs to be far more diplomatic and less divisive and reckless if it is to play constructive role in regional affairs.
Selling US bonds at a loss is called cutting your loses while your ahead. If china was to sell it US dollar holdings then the US economy will collapse.
Now that Russia has decided to sell oil based on the value of the Euro as opposed to the USED the value of the USD will be less.
Cutting your losses while you are "ahead"? What kind of crazy rooshan "logic" is that?
I hope the rooskies keep selling at a loss.
As far as the Chinese selling its "US dollar holdings", there are all sorts of outfits that have "US dollar holdings," and the US has heard the threat of a sale of "US dollar holdings" for a long time.
Except that for some reason people like the US dollar.
They don't seem to like the ruble.
My response to the "if the Chinese were to sell their 'US dollar holdings,'" whatever those are:
"If frogs had wings, they wouldn't womp their ass each time they jumped."
So much for rooskie "economics" and investment analysis.
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