BERLIN: With Britain and Poland calling for a tough response and the German government divided, European Union countries prepared for a bitter exchange at an emergency summit meeting Monday on how to respond to Russia's invasion of Georgia and its subsequent recognition of the independence of the breakaway Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The crisis in the Caucasus has rocked the political establishment in Berlin. The German government - a coalition of conservatives led by Chancellor Angela Merkel and Social Democrats - is split over how to deal with Russia, ending several weeks of unity. The divisions in the country, which has close economic and political ties with Russia, mean that the government will be torn between taking a tough line against the Kremlin in Brussels on Monday and maintaining a dialogue with Moscow that would not please Britain or Poland, diplomats said. London and Warsaw want to send a clear signal to Russia that the relationship between Moscow and the European Union will be placed under review. Other countries, particularly Spain and Italy, have adopted a conciliatory approach toward Russia, which analysts said only confirmed the impossibility of adopting a strong and coherent stance toward the crisis in Georgia.
BERLIN: With Britain and Poland calling for a tough response and the German government divided, European Union countries prepared for a bitter exchange at an emergency summit meeting Monday on how to respond to Russia's invasion of Georgia and its subsequent recognition of the independence of the breakaway Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The crisis in the Caucasus has rocked the political establishment in Berlin. The German government - a coalition of conservatives led by Chancellor Angela Merkel and Social Democrats - is split over how to deal with Russia, ending several weeks of unity.
The divisions in the country, which has close economic and political ties with Russia, mean that the government will be torn between taking a tough line against the Kremlin in Brussels on Monday and maintaining a dialogue with Moscow that would not please Britain or Poland, diplomats said.
London and Warsaw want to send a clear signal to Russia that the relationship between Moscow and the European Union will be placed under review. Other countries, particularly Spain and Italy, have adopted a conciliatory approach toward Russia, which analysts said only confirmed the impossibility of adopting a strong and coherent stance toward the crisis in Georgia.
Vladimir Putin has warned Europe that Russia's energy reserves will flow to the Far East if the continent's leaders seek to punish his country for invading Georgia. The Russian prime minister travelled to Siberia to demand that work on a new pipeline to supply oil to Asia is speeded up. In an echo of the photographs released last year that showed the bare-chested leader in a series of macho hunting poses, Mr Putin posed with a rifle for the cameras as scientists tranquilised a tiger at the Ussuri reserve. The announcement on the eve of an emergency European Union summit in Brussels on Russia's occupation of Georgia put EU states on notice that Moscow is developing an alternative client base in the Far East. Mr Putin lashed out at the European summit, defending the country's incursion into Georgia. "The truth is on our side," he told Vesti-24 television.
The Russian prime minister travelled to Siberia to demand that work on a new pipeline to supply oil to Asia is speeded up.
In an echo of the photographs released last year that showed the bare-chested leader in a series of macho hunting poses, Mr Putin posed with a rifle for the cameras as scientists tranquilised a tiger at the Ussuri reserve.
The announcement on the eve of an emergency European Union summit in Brussels on Russia's occupation of Georgia put EU states on notice that Moscow is developing an alternative client base in the Far East.
Mr Putin lashed out at the European summit, defending the country's incursion into Georgia. "The truth is on our side," he told Vesti-24 television.
And what prevents the construction of the pipeline to China is that there is no buyer yet for the gas, because the Chinese refuse to commit longterm to pay the price that would make the project bankable. So Putin admonitions are of little use or significance for hte pipe. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Beware the announcement of some bellicose "NATO" policy. A sound distraction from failed domestic policies in UK and a ratings bump for McCain. I hope Putin just laughs at them. keep to the Fen Causeway
The announcement on the eve of Monday's Brussels summit on Russia's occupation of Georgia put European states on notice that Moscow is developing an alternative client base in the Far East.To stave off tough measures, including possible sanctions, Moscow has sent a variety of signals that it will use its energy clout to retaliate against any European reprimand for its refusal to implement a ceasefire with Georgia.Russia's Asian pipeline is a technically challenging effort to link the oilfields of Eastern Siberia to Russia's Pacific coast thousands of miles to the east. Mr Putin visited Kozmino, a giant oil terminal, where the resources will be loaded for transportation to China and Japan.The two-stage pipeline has been delayed by a year and building costs have soared as constructors grapple with the harsh conditions of the Siberian tundra, where temperatures regularly fall to -50 C and infrastructure is nonexistent.When it is inaugurated the Kremlin will have succeeded in diversifying its financial dependence on energy sales to the European Union.
The announcement on the eve of Monday's Brussels summit on Russia's occupation of Georgia put European states on notice that Moscow is developing an alternative client base in the Far East.
To stave off tough measures, including possible sanctions, Moscow has sent a variety of signals that it will use its energy clout to retaliate against any European reprimand for its refusal to implement a ceasefire with Georgia.
Russia's Asian pipeline is a technically challenging effort to link the oilfields of Eastern Siberia to Russia's Pacific coast thousands of miles to the east. Mr Putin visited Kozmino, a giant oil terminal, where the resources will be loaded for transportation to China and Japan.
The two-stage pipeline has been delayed by a year and building costs have soared as constructors grapple with the harsh conditions of the Siberian tundra, where temperatures regularly fall to -50 C and infrastructure is nonexistent.
When it is inaugurated the Kremlin will have succeeded in diversifying its financial dependence on energy sales to the European Union.
NATO is no longer part of my beat as a journalist, but let me remind those breezily pushing for an extension of the North Atlantic pact to Georgia and Ukraine what this actually means. It exposes Britain and other Western powers to a high risk of war with Russia. It entangles us in ethnic disputes of enormous complexity deep inside the Kremlin sphere of influence, against a formidable military power, along supply lines that we cannot possibly defend.Nato is not a golf club, or the plaything of neo-con adventurers. Article 5 obliges us to fight and die for the alliance. "The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all." advertisement The Bush administration wants to extend this guarantee to both Georgia and Ukraine. So does John McCain, with even greater vehemence. Britain has gone along, against the better judgment of the Foreign Office. Fortunately for all Britons of military age, this foolish demarche was stalled by Germany and France in April.
NATO is no longer part of my beat as a journalist, but let me remind those breezily pushing for an extension of the North Atlantic pact to Georgia and Ukraine what this actually means.
It exposes Britain and other Western powers to a high risk of war with Russia. It entangles us in ethnic disputes of enormous complexity deep inside the Kremlin sphere of influence, against a formidable military power, along supply lines that we cannot possibly defend.
Nato is not a golf club, or the plaything of neo-con adventurers. Article 5 obliges us to fight and die for the alliance. "The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all." advertisement
The Bush administration wants to extend this guarantee to both Georgia and Ukraine. So does John McCain, with even greater vehemence. Britain has gone along, against the better judgment of the Foreign Office. Fortunately for all Britons of military age, this foolish demarche was stalled by Germany and France in April.
If only such was being dripped into the ears of our political masters. keep to the Fen Causeway
FINLAND: Finland's foreign minister wants calm reflection on the Georgian conflict, writes Derek Scally FINLAND: FINLAND HAS rejected the idea of sanctions against Russia ahead of this morning's emergency EU summit on the Georgian conflict. A war of words has followed the short conflict, with western condemnation of Moscow's decision to recognise Abkhazia and South Ossetia followed by the Russian description of the Georgian conflict as a "US ploy". "There's a little too much testosterone flying around in many of the comments," said Finland's foreign minister Alexander Stubb to The Irish Times. "I attribute that to being a part of the war propaganda. I don't think it benefits the calm solution of conflict."
FINLAND: Finland's foreign minister wants calm reflection on the Georgian conflict, writes Derek Scally
FINLAND: FINLAND HAS rejected the idea of sanctions against Russia ahead of this morning's emergency EU summit on the Georgian conflict.
A war of words has followed the short conflict, with western condemnation of Moscow's decision to recognise Abkhazia and South Ossetia followed by the Russian description of the Georgian conflict as a "US ploy".
"There's a little too much testosterone flying around in many of the comments," said Finland's foreign minister Alexander Stubb to The Irish Times. "I attribute that to being a part of the war propaganda. I don't think it benefits the calm solution of conflict."
