Stratfor_Russia's EU Discrimination Tool (October 5)

05.10.2007

In ongoing diplomacy with the European Union, the Russian government has expressed criticism of and concern for ethnic Russians in former Soviet states that are now EU members. In an Oct. 4 statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, "Russia expressed concern about the fact that instances of racism, xenophobia and intolerance have become more frequent in EU member states and about violations of freedom of speech and assembly." This particular statement referred specifically to alleged abuses in Latvia and Estonia.

Now that all of the former Warsaw Pact states -- sans Russia, of course -- are in both the European Union and NATO, Russian-EU summits have transformed from arenas for cooperation into forums for mutual recrimination. EU law allows any single EU state to veto any EU foreign or trade policy initiative, so the former Warsaw Pact states regularly stymie any Russia-related policy. Russia, which until recently felt that the European Union existed to force these Central European states into line, is -- to put it mildly -- frustrated that the crux of its European foreign policy has been upended.

Habitually bringing up the status of Russian minorities in the Baltics is one of the few quick and easy tools that Moscow retains. The problem is that few in the European Union take the concern seriously because Estonia and Latvia are already EU members so any leverage Moscow has to address perceived abuses is limited. Europeans also feel it is obvious that Russia is bringing up the issue for political purposes. Most important the European perception is that ethnic Russians in the European Union boast far better legal standing, political rights and economic opportunities than Russians in Russia itself.

Regardless of the truth or purpose behind the allegations, this is a tool that the Russia of ages past has used to great effect in its foreign policy. In czarist times, Russia regularly used the issue of the rights of Slavs beyond Russia's borders to insinuate itself into the domestic affairs of other states, most notably the Austro-Hungarian Empire. No one took Russia's policy seriously then either -- until it helped ignite World War I.

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