12 October 2014 No 25 ISSN 1664-7963 Current Concerns PO Box CH-8044 Zurich Current Concerns Switzerland The international journal for independent thought, ethical standards, moral responsibility, Phone: +41 44 350 65 50 Fax: +41 44 350 65 51 and for the promotion and respect of public international law, human rights and humanitarian law E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.currentconcerns.ch English Edition of Zeit-Fragen USA – By way of Ukraine-crisis to “regime change” in Russia by James George Jatras, JD, Vice Chairman of the “American Institute in Ukraine”, Washington DC, speech on the occasion of the panel discussion “Impact of the crisis in Ukraine on Europe, and Switzerland’s contribution to a peaceful solution”, 15 September, in Berne cc. On 15 and 16 September two events – Humanitarian and financial assistance sites” in the east. Even if that effort seems took place with the lawyer James George from the West and Russia. Repairing to have failed for now, the thinking behind Jatras (cf. Current Concerns No 23/24 of the damage caused by the civil war: re- it has not disappeared. 23 September 2014). Below we publish building the republics and their infra- Perhaps one could be more hope- the speech he held in Berne. structure, pulling Ukraine out of its ful about the international aspect of this economic tailspin. problem if this were entirely a question The announce- – The balance of economic ties between between Russia on the one hand and the Liebe Evi ment of a “per- the European Union (EU) and the Rus- EU (which primarily means Germany) manent ceasefire” sia-led Eurasian Economic Union, both on the other hand. Unfortunately, there In meinem Text fehlt on September 5 in of Ukraine as a whole and of the repub- are other influences. The policy of “the Minsk, agreed to lics, including energy supply and price. West” not has only been skewed by in- im dritten Absatz der both by the Kiev – The status of the Russian language. ternal issues within the EU but, even 2. Satz, in dem im administration of – Perhaps most importantly, Ukraine’s more ruinously, by the role of the United deutschen Original President Petro security status and potential NATO States and NATO (which largely means Poroshenko and candidacy. the same thing). Lenin zitiert worden representatives of It is hard to be optimistic about the A few thoughts on the EU, NATO and war. James G. Jatras the Donetsk and Ukraine crisis. If things were left entirely the U.S., and finally a question about (picture thk) Lugansk repub- to Ukrainians themselves, a peaceful res- Switzerland: lics, raised hopes for a peaceful settlement olution would be difficult enough. Since First, the EU itself has not been blame- Karl-Jürgen of the Ukraine crisis. its birth in 1991, the Ukrainian state has less in unleashing and then perpetuat- Under any realistic set of expectations, always been fragile, both because of the ing the Ukraine crisis. Brussels (and Ber- this will be a long, complicated negotiat- undue influence of corrupt oligarchic in- lin) irresponsibly allowed a “coalition of ing process in which success is far from terests and regional differences over the the willing” – the most interested region- certain. very questions of “What is Ukraine? Who al members (Poland, Sweden, the Baltic Distinct but related issues include: are Ukrainians?” The unconstitutional States, to some extent Romania) – to drive – The status and extent of the republics ouster of Viktor Yanukovych in February the so-called “Eastern Partnership” (EaP) or other entity (such as “Novorossi- shattered Ukraine’s delicate unity and in- which developed a zero-sum mentality of ya”): autonomy within Ukraine, inde- stalled a regime that was convinced that roping Ukraine (as well as Georgia and pendence, confederation? Will other the authority and identity of “pro-Europe” oblasts be allowed to join? “democratic” part of Ukraine could be continued on page 2 imposed by force on the “dirt” and “para- “Helmut Kohl can confirm, that their global ‘Counter-Insurgency’ the western alliance during the against terrorism they have trod- relinquishment of the GDR, gave den the path to the ‘dirty war’ of a ceremonial consent to the Sec- the future, to the deployment of retary General of the KPdSU Mi- murderous drones, ruthless mer- chail Gorbachev, that an entry of cenary troops and torture excess- the former Warsaw Pact states to es like ‘water boarding’. But it Nato would remain impossible, sounds much too hypocritical if though this was not documented one tries to constrict Russia as well in writing.” as China with a ‘cordon sanitaire’ Peter Scholl-Latour. “Der Fluch der bösen (barrier of buffer states), and at Tat. Das Scheitern des Westens im Orient.” the same time accusing their po- (The curse of evil doing. The failure of the West in the Orient). Berlin 2014, ISBN 978- tential opponents of wanting to 3-549-07412-1, p. 22) protect themselves with an im- “The USA as a role model of mo- pediment strategy.” rality is long gone, since with (Scholl-Latour, p. 28-29) No 25 12 October 2014 Current Concerns Page 2 ”USA – By way of Ukraine-crisis …” bate the Ukraine crisis. It is enough to try’s policies. I am hesitant to be as criti- continued from page 1 note Assistant Secretary of State Victoria cal of your country’s decisions. But I do Nuland’s “hands-on” role in the “regime confess to be somewhat puzzled. Your Moldova) into the “Euro-Atlantic” camp change” in Kiev, including even naming county is a member of neither NATO as a “civilizational choice.” (in her notorious “F--- the EU” phone call) nor the EU. As far as I know, Switzer- Their approached mirrored the concept Arseny “Yats” Yatsenyuk as our preferred land isn’t contemplating a “Host Na- from between the world wars known as Prime Minister. tion Support” memorandum though you “Prometheism”1 or “the Intermarium”2 to Even though the U.S really has no di- have been part of NATO’s “Partnership construct a string of anti-Russian coun- rect interest in Ukraine – much less than for Peace” since 1996 (well, so is Rus- tries across eastern Europe. The message Europe’s and certainly far, far less than sia). You are part of Schengen and have to Ukraine and other EaP countries was Russia’s – Washington has insisted on a free trade agreement with the EU but (and remains): Russia can never be “Eu- being the driving force behind western are the only EFTA member that is not rope”; to “choose Europe” means being policy. This has meant during the disor- part of the European Economic Area. apart from (really, against) Russia; you ders in Kiev threatening Yanukovych with In short, in keeping with your legend- must make the “right” choice. Forcing sanctions if he used force against “peace- ary love of freedom and zealous protec- this choice on Ukraine was a recipe for ful protesters” attacking police with Mol- tion of your independence, it seems the tearing the country apart. Where was the otov cocktails, clubs, and yes, guns – be- Swiss could resist the made-in-Washing- “adult supervision” in the EU? This ap- havior that in Washington would get you ton pressures imposed on smaller mem- proach did nothing to advance EU mem- shot down in two minutes. It has meant bers of the EU and NATO. And of course bers’ interest but in fact has profoundly carte blanche support for Kiev’s military too, Switzerland is not exactly “small” harmed them. offensive against the east and opposing in the world of finance. Still, your coun- Second, Europe’s policy has been badly both European calls for a ceasefire or even try has seen fit to join in some aspects of damaged because of the EU’s deference delivery of humanitarian aid (unlike our the sanctions regime. This most recently to NATO and the U.S. When in the mid- unilateral right to carry out “humanitari- includes, on August 27, the decision of 1990s the EU floated its “European Secu- an” bombing of various countries) – right the Federal Council to adopt measures rity and Defence Policy” (now the “Com- up until Kiev’s offensive collapsed at the said to be designed to prevent Switzer- mon Security and Defence Policy”) as a beginning of this month. land from being used by Russia to by- totally European mechanism that did not And it has meant dogged insistence pass sanctions imposed by the EU and include the U.S., Washington made it that the only solution to the crisis must requiring Russian banks to get authori- clear that EU security policy could only be to blame the whole mess on Russia zation to issue new long-term financial be a handmaid to NATO, as codified in and ratchet up sanctions on Moscow instruments. There are some military the 2002 “Berlin Plus” agreement and NA- until any aid being given to the eastern and energy-related restrictions as well, TO’s “right of first refusal.”3 This means republics is cut off, so Kiev can crush but clearly the financial sanctions are that NATO (that is, Washington) retains them. Despite the fact that no one ex- most important. I can’t help but notice the commanding voice on security issues pects this to work, Washington also bul- a little irony. As far as I know, Moscow with the EU in an auxiliary role. (As in lied Europe into adopting sanctions that never has threatened to use any financial Libya, that can mean the U.S. and NATO would hurt Russia but not change Mos- weapon against Switzerland.