Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- [A couple of Czech novelists of the last century, Franz Kafka and Jaroslav Hasek, would both have had lots to work with in treating of Vaclav Havel - each in his own manner.] Havel: It seems that Russia fails to understand or is unable to take into account that the situation in the world had completely changed with the collapse of the Warsaw Pact and NATO setting itself new goals. Imperialist Rhetoric Develops in Russia, Says Czech President BRUSSELS, Sep 6, 2001 -- (CTK - Czech News Agency) Russia suffers from lack of self- confidence which it seems to be compensating with new imperialist rhetoric and ostentatious nationalism, Czech President Vaclav Havel writes in an article published in La Libre Belgique today. The world has been accustomed to similar nationalist exaggeration on the part of people such as Russian ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, but recently this phenomenon has developed much more extensively, though in less vulgar forms. Russia thus also compensates its uncertainty over its identity, i.e. over its borders, Havel says in the Belgian daily. It seems that Russia fails to understand or is unable to take into account that the situation in the world had completely changed with the collapse of the Warsaw Pact and NATO setting itself new goals. This will change only if new Russian leaders prefer pursuing a policy of realism rather than a populist one and support common sense rather than nationalist passions, Havel writes. Havel calls it "more or less absurd" that Russia, which is a big and strong country, is afraid that the three neighboring small democratic republics - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - "could join a regional group which is not under its [Russia's] control". Havel asserts that his opinion stems neither from animosity towards Russia nor fears of how Russia would react to NATO enlargement. He says he is convinced that it is necessary to approach Russia more openly than up to now. "Unlike many Western politicians, who are hypocritically trying to calm down Russia by speaking of peace and friendship, I think that friendship with Russia would be more helped if we approach the country as an equal and tell it the truth however unpleasant it may be," Havel writes. ((c) 2001 CTK - Czech News Agency) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email alerts & NEW webcam video instant messaging with Yahoo! Messenger http://im.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: [email protected] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
