Despite of objection on the part of Russia the offer on confirmation of powers of the Russian delegation in PASE will be considered by two committees. The head of Assembly Luis Maria de Puch informed about it. "I made the decision to send the offer to Monitoring Committee and also to Rules Committee", - he declared opening autumn session of Assembly.
That decision met disapproval on the part of the Russian delegation. In particular, the chief negotiator of the Russian Federation Konstantin Kosachev during the discussion declared: "As far as I know, the quantity of representatives who took off signatures is about five, it means that the quantity of really supporting the document is less than 20 and it is void".
From his part de Puch once again confirmed that he made the final decision. Speaking about the initiative of 24 members of parliament about application of sanctions in relation to the Russian delegation, the head of PASE noted that that offer "is already received, registered and it is impossible to change a number of members signed it".
For reconsideration of powers of the Russian delegation because of a situation around of South Ossetia acted 24 delegates at necessary 20. The project was brought three weeks ago. It was signed by representatives of Ukraine, Poland and Baltic, including the vice-speaker of parliament of Estonia Christina Ojuland.
Yesterday bureau of PASE refused to support the offer on deprivation of the Russian delegation of the right to vote in connection with the events brought earlier by the group of delegates of the countries of the East Europe. To tell you the truth, the question still remains in the agenda of session.
From editorial board: Most likely, there will be expulsion of Russia from PASE, however demarche of euromembers of parliament from the East Europe shows not so much the problem of the Russian Federation - here the problem is obvious and it's called authoritarianism and breakaway from republican principles aside principate. But it shows also a problem of the international organizations, a problem of maintenance of international law.
Expulsion of Russia from PASE will not mean withdrawal of the Russian Federation from Europe - it means either PASE covers not all Europe, or some part of Europe has no parliament. In any case, such step means that Europe refuses the tool of influence on Russia, washes hands of and transfers the Russian policy to America, China and other interested parties.
Neither Poland, nor Baltic have independent foreign policy - they carry out line of the USA in the European Community. However Ukraine has own relations with Russia and the demarche of the Ukrainian deputies of PASE puts first of all Ukraine in difficult position.
Until Russia is in structure of the international organizations, Europe can influence Moscow. When the Kremlin will decide that it has nothing to do in PASE and such decision from time to time arises, the situation can turn into completely uncontrollable.
Certainly, Europe doesn't care a bit the rests of democratic institutes in the Russian Federation but if the Kremlin would have no need to observe even minimal decencies, consequences of it will be felt not only by the Russian citizens but also by the European. While the east European will again have an opportunity to feel himself in a camp - and far not socialist one.
Probably, enthusiastic example of Georgia made Jushchenko's administration to lose sleep? Do they want to achieve the same in Kiev? Well, Saakashvili at least re-equipped the army, whether Jushchenko strengthened his army? By appearance of Ekhanurov? It's possible to forget about nuclear ambitions of Kiev but whether there remained anything to replace those Ukrainian tanks which were burned in Georgia and grasped in Somalia?
А.B.
