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VanemadUuemad
Critical information here that needs wider exposure. Well done Laas.
It should also be noted that the current Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs is on the board of Mr. Semjonov's "human right" organization.
It should also be noted that the current Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs is on the board of Mr. Semjonov's "human right" organization.
Well done Laas!
About a year-and-a-half ago Eerik-Niiles Kross also raised the subject in Postimees. Eesti Elu had full permission to reprint it and thankfully did so.
http://www.eesti.ca/?op=articl...
For those more comfortable with English, here is that version.
Eerik-Niiles Kross: The Russian Rights Spy Agency
24.11.2008 00:00
[National] Security Expert Eerik Kross warns of our Neighbour to the East. He identifies that Russia is resorting to backdoor tricks; that soft values are being used to fool European policians.
During the past few months packs of youngish Russian kids have been roaming the residential districts of Tallinn ringing doorbells. If the door is answered by an Estonian, the [Estonian] is informed that they don’t wish to speak to them. They only wish to interview Russians. They want to know whether the region of East-Viru [in Estonia] should become an autonomous Russian county. Some of my friends, who have answered the door, say that the interviewers are from the gang Notšnoi Dozor [Night Watch].
Officially Notšnoi Dozor has been neutralized and liquidated – to use an old KBG term – by [Estonia’s National] Security Police, soon after the events of late April [last year]. This KGB term was applied to those, who were accused of engaging in anti-soviet activities. It would appear that in actuality, the gang is still somewhat active.
But today is something totally different from April 2007. Russia’s official policy in terms of their so-called fellow countrymen has evolved noticeably during the past year. Russia has in the meantime militarily attacked one of its neighbouring countries and has much more clearly enunciated its imperialist ambitions and demonstrated a clear desire to control its near-abroad.
The “Federal Law on Russian Compatriots Abroad” is under debate in the [Russian] Duma. Under this law anyone who is a descendant of a citizen of Czarist Russia, qualifies for Russian citizenship. Among others, all citizens of Estonia, Finland, Georgia and Alaska would fall into this category. The Russian Compatriots [Abroad] are conferred many rights in Russia regardless of their current citizenship. This includes the right of visa-free travel, in return Russia declares the right to defend its citizens [abroad].
We all know only too well what this right to protect its countrymen meant in Georgia in August of this year.
The Notšnoi Dozor interviews must be seen in the light of this new Russian policy. In addition to handing out its passports in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russia has initiated similar actions in the Crimea, Northern Azerbaijan and the Baltic countries.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has declared as a vital interest the granting of Russian citizenship to the residents of Narva [in Estonia]. I don’t wish to say that all Russian citizens living in Estonia pose a direct security threat. But at the very least, they pose a security concern.
And if an expansion of tens of thousands of newly minted Russian citizens should develop in East-Virumaa, this certainly will not improve the situation in Estonia.
One of the latest tricks developed by Russia is to exploit the gullibility of many Europeans by utilizing rhetoric that sounds familiar to them. Europeans don’t seem to understand, that when a Russian, or at the very least a Russian in the Kremlin, says “democracy”, that it doesn’t have the same meaning as when a German says it. This is not to mention the Kremlin’s newly minted favourite term “guided democracy.”
Russia has during the last few months unmistakably commenced on a wide reaching campaign to further the interests of its fellow countrymen near its borders. In Georgia, they utilized military means. Some believe that they will continue the war elsewhere.
Much more likely is their exploitation of all sorts of soft measures, especially in countries like Estonia, where the use of military force poses a far greater risk because of membership in NATO.
About a year-and-a-half ago Eerik-Niiles Kross also raised the subject in Postimees. Eesti Elu had full permission to reprint it and thankfully did so.
http://www.eesti.ca/?op=articl...
For those more comfortable with English, here is that version.
Eerik-Niiles Kross: The Russian Rights Spy Agency
24.11.2008 00:00
[National] Security Expert Eerik Kross warns of our Neighbour to the East. He identifies that Russia is resorting to backdoor tricks; that soft values are being used to fool European policians.
During the past few months packs of youngish Russian kids have been roaming the residential districts of Tallinn ringing doorbells. If the door is answered by an Estonian, the [Estonian] is informed that they don’t wish to speak to them. They only wish to interview Russians. They want to know whether the region of East-Viru [in Estonia] should become an autonomous Russian county. Some of my friends, who have answered the door, say that the interviewers are from the gang Notšnoi Dozor [Night Watch].
Officially Notšnoi Dozor has been neutralized and liquidated – to use an old KBG term – by [Estonia’s National] Security Police, soon after the events of late April [last year]. This KGB term was applied to those, who were accused of engaging in anti-soviet activities. It would appear that in actuality, the gang is still somewhat active.
But today is something totally different from April 2007. Russia’s official policy in terms of their so-called fellow countrymen has evolved noticeably during the past year. Russia has in the meantime militarily attacked one of its neighbouring countries and has much more clearly enunciated its imperialist ambitions and demonstrated a clear desire to control its near-abroad.
The “Federal Law on Russian Compatriots Abroad” is under debate in the [Russian] Duma. Under this law anyone who is a descendant of a citizen of Czarist Russia, qualifies for Russian citizenship. Among others, all citizens of Estonia, Finland, Georgia and Alaska would fall into this category. The Russian Compatriots [Abroad] are conferred many rights in Russia regardless of their current citizenship. This includes the right of visa-free travel, in return Russia declares the right to defend its citizens [abroad].
We all know only too well what this right to protect its countrymen meant in Georgia in August of this year.
The Notšnoi Dozor interviews must be seen in the light of this new Russian policy. In addition to handing out its passports in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russia has initiated similar actions in the Crimea, Northern Azerbaijan and the Baltic countries.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has declared as a vital interest the granting of Russian citizenship to the residents of Narva [in Estonia]. I don’t wish to say that all Russian citizens living in Estonia pose a direct security threat. But at the very least, they pose a security concern.
And if an expansion of tens of thousands of newly minted Russian citizens should develop in East-Virumaa, this certainly will not improve the situation in Estonia.
One of the latest tricks developed by Russia is to exploit the gullibility of many Europeans by utilizing rhetoric that sounds familiar to them. Europeans don’t seem to understand, that when a Russian, or at the very least a Russian in the Kremlin, says “democracy”, that it doesn’t have the same meaning as when a German says it. This is not to mention the Kremlin’s newly minted favourite term “guided democracy.”
Russia has during the last few months unmistakably commenced on a wide reaching campaign to further the interests of its fellow countrymen near its borders. In Georgia, they utilized military means. Some believe that they will continue the war elsewhere.
Much more likely is their exploitation of all sorts of soft measures, especially in countries like Estonia, where the use of military force poses a far greater risk because of membership in NATO.
One such idea in Russia’s arsenal that has evolved over the longer time is a separatist movement in East-Virumaa. [Mart] Laar’s government was able to handle this successfully during the early 1990’s. Now talk of autonomous regions has once again arisen. Of and by itself, this doesn’t present a threat, but when this is offered in the context of the European Union, this is fraught with danger for Estonia.
One such example of this potentially harmful approach is the recently organized Human Rights Information Centre conference in Tallinn.
This seemingly democratic organisation gives the impression of basing itself on the principles of civil society. [This organization openly] discussed autonomy for East-Viru. Notšoi Dozor is small change in comparison. The Information Centre for Human Rights is an exceptionally poignant example of the recent Russian focus on back-door policies [appealing to] so-called soft values.
Back in the year 2004, [The Estonian National] Security Police published in their year-book: “The Russian Compatriots Organization, along with its subordinate associations and The Information Centre for Human Rights is directly or indirectly controlled by the Russian Embassy in Tallinn. Additionally, they are directly dependant upon Russian funding. The leaders of the aforementioned organizations enjoy almost daily contact with the Russian Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, receiving continual guidance and directives from them. They also receive financial support from them for organizing their events.
For their part, these organizations provide the Embassy with an uninterrupted flow of information and reports regarding their activities and the Estonian political landscape. These summaries and analyses of political affairs are indispensable to Russia from a Foreign Policy and Intelligence gathering perspective.”
In the year 2007, [The Estonian National] Security Police published in their year-book: “Russia continues to use disinformation in the guise of “scientific studies.” [For this they use the services of] the not-for-profit Information Centre for Human Rights. In the case of the latter, it is also interesting that with every revelation by the [National] Security Police regarding [covert Russian government] funding, there occur immediate changes in the mechanisms of funding. In the beginning, it was usual practice for the Information Centre for Human Rights to be directly funded by the Russian Federation’s Embassy in Tallinn. After the [National] Security Police exposed this fact, direct funding by the Embassy for all intents and purposes ceased. Of course we can’t get confirmation in writing that the Information Centre for Human Rights is part of Russia’s plan to establish a foothold in the near-abroad. [Neither can we confirm] that it is a means for implementing imperialistic policies that alarm every Estonian.”
We can, however, ask: was the plan to stage a conference on Russian cultural autonomy in Estonia the brainchild of the Information Centre for Human Rights or did they get a little help from elsewhere? And in particular, I would like to know why the Municipal Government of Tallinn is funding the Centre? Because, if another December 1st, 1924, [attempted coup] is staged in Tallinn, then every sponsor of the Information Centre will find themselves in an awkward position.
One such example of this potentially harmful approach is the recently organized Human Rights Information Centre conference in Tallinn.
This seemingly democratic organisation gives the impression of basing itself on the principles of civil society. [This organization openly] discussed autonomy for East-Viru. Notšoi Dozor is small change in comparison. The Information Centre for Human Rights is an exceptionally poignant example of the recent Russian focus on back-door policies [appealing to] so-called soft values.
Back in the year 2004, [The Estonian National] Security Police published in their year-book: “The Russian Compatriots Organization, along with its subordinate associations and The Information Centre for Human Rights is directly or indirectly controlled by the Russian Embassy in Tallinn. Additionally, they are directly dependant upon Russian funding. The leaders of the aforementioned organizations enjoy almost daily contact with the Russian Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, receiving continual guidance and directives from them. They also receive financial support from them for organizing their events.
For their part, these organizations provide the Embassy with an uninterrupted flow of information and reports regarding their activities and the Estonian political landscape. These summaries and analyses of political affairs are indispensable to Russia from a Foreign Policy and Intelligence gathering perspective.”
In the year 2007, [The Estonian National] Security Police published in their year-book: “Russia continues to use disinformation in the guise of “scientific studies.” [For this they use the services of] the not-for-profit Information Centre for Human Rights. In the case of the latter, it is also interesting that with every revelation by the [National] Security Police regarding [covert Russian government] funding, there occur immediate changes in the mechanisms of funding. In the beginning, it was usual practice for the Information Centre for Human Rights to be directly funded by the Russian Federation’s Embassy in Tallinn. After the [National] Security Police exposed this fact, direct funding by the Embassy for all intents and purposes ceased. Of course we can’t get confirmation in writing that the Information Centre for Human Rights is part of Russia’s plan to establish a foothold in the near-abroad. [Neither can we confirm] that it is a means for implementing imperialistic policies that alarm every Estonian.”
We can, however, ask: was the plan to stage a conference on Russian cultural autonomy in Estonia the brainchild of the Information Centre for Human Rights or did they get a little help from elsewhere? And in particular, I would like to know why the Municipal Government of Tallinn is funding the Centre? Because, if another December 1st, 1924, [attempted coup] is staged in Tallinn, then every sponsor of the Information Centre will find themselves in an awkward position.
Samalt IP numbrilt on siin varem kommenteerinud: Toomas Merilo (11:32)
Toomas raises some vital questions, particularly concerning ES's Tallinn local govt support for Russian expansionism in Ida-Virumaa. There is also the ongoing problem of why Lang gave security clearance to a Russian citizen who poses a threat to Estonia's national security interests. Instead, the problem has been thrown at the press, who are being reprimanded for exposing these problems.
Thank you for not being provocative, Maxim.
Kommentaarid sellele artiklile on suletud.