Window On Eurasia: Moscow’s Program To Dismember Georgia
|
posted by eagle on February, 2009 as Imperialism
Paul Goble
Vienna, February 26 – Last summer, a Moscow news weekly is reporting, Moscow officials discussed creating an “Abkhaz-South Ossetian Federation,” a move that Russian officials believed would allow them the ability to more effectively control Tbilisi and to hold “the territory of Georgia ‘between two fires.’”
But Abkhaz President Sergei Bagapsh was totally opposed, noting that the Abkhaz and the Ossetins are two completely different peoples speaking different languages, practicing different religions and perhaps most importantly lacking a common border, “Argumenty nedeli” reports, and as a result, the Moscow plan was shelved (www.argumenti.ru/publications/9049).
Nonetheless, this report which at present cannot be independently confirmed deserves broader attention for three important reasons. First, it shows the utter cynicism and dishonesty of Russian claims that they were acting in support of the “legitimate national interests” of the Abkhazians and Ossetins.
Second, ... >> full
comments (0)
Window On Eurasia: FSB Tries But Fails To Block Creation Of Gastarbeiter Union
|
posted by eagle on as Imperialism
Paul Goble
Vienna, February 22 – Russia’s Federal Security Service failed in its efforts to block the creation in Yekaterinburg of a new International Union for the Support of Labor Migrants, but the FSB’s “conversations” over the last several weeks with potential participants did discourage some ethnic, religious and labor groups from taking part.
Yesterday, as he had promised to do earlier this month, Geidar Dzhemal, the chairman of the Islamic Committee of Russia chaired the founding conference of the new union, one that he hopes will not only defend the rights of labor migrants but promote internationalism more generally (www.ferghana.ru/article.php?id=6075).
The left-wing activist said that he had chosen to hold the session in Yekaterinburg not only because that city is “considered the center of Eurasia but also because it was precisely [there] ... >> full
comments (0)
e-Ariana: Poker-Faced, Russia Flaunts Its Afghan Card
|
posted by eagle on as Imperialism
Poker-Faced, Russia Flaunts Its Afghan Card
The New York Times
02/22/2009
By Clifford J. Levy
MOSCOW — Russia last week marked the 20th anniversary of the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan with avowals from its leaders that they really, truly do not want the American military mission there to suffer the same humiliating fate.
In practice, though, it often seems that Russia cannot decide whether it hopes that America’s current venture in Afghanistan succeeds, collapses or just ends up in a lengthy slog that might be cause for furtive grins in the backrooms of the Kremlin.
These contradictory impulses were underscored this month when the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan announced that a crucial American military base that supplies forces in nearby Afghanistan would be closed — apparently at Moscow’s urging. At the same time, the Russians said they would let nonlethal cargo for the American-led NATO mission be transported across Russia.
Russia’s ambivalence stems ... >> full
comments (0)
Window On Eurasia: More Than 100 Languages In Russia At Risk Of Disappearing, UNESCO Says
|
posted by eagle on as Imperialism
Paul Goble
Vienna, February 21 – Today is Native Language Day, a United Nations holiday established a decade ago and designed to call attention both to the contribution even the smallest linguistic communities make to the cultural and, through their maintenance of groups, even biological diversity of the human family and to the threats these communities now face.
To mark that event this year, UNESCO has released a new “Atlas of the Languages of the World.” That work, prepared during 2008, which the UN had declared the International Year of Languages, is available on line (www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?pg=00206 and
www.unesco.org/culture/ich/UNESCO-EndangeredLanguages-WorldMap-20090218.pdf).
This remarkably useful compilation not only provides information on some 2500 languages, out of the more than 6,000 most linguists say exist, but also classified those in terms of the risk they face ... >> full
comments (0)
Window On Eurasia: More Than 100 Languages In Russia At Risk Of Disappearing, UNESCO Says
|
posted by eagle on as Imperialism
Paul Goble
Vienna, February 21 – Today is Native Language Day, a United Nations holiday established a decade ago and designed to call attention both to the contribution even the smallest linguistic communities make to the cultural and, through their maintenance of groups, even biological diversity of the human family and to the threats these communities now face.
To mark that event this year, UNESCO has released a new “Atlas of the Languages of the World.” That work, prepared during 2008, which the UN had declared the International Year of Languages, is available on line (www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?pg=00206 and
www.unesco.org/culture/ich/UNESCO-EndangeredLanguages-WorldMap-20090218.pdf).
This remarkably useful compilation not only provides information on some 2500 languages, out of the more than 6,000 most linguists say exist, but also classified those in terms of the risk they face ... >> full
comments (0)
|
