#10
Moscow News
November 6-12, 2002
Europe Wary of Russia
A German expert on impediments to the establishment of normal relations at the Russia-EU summit

There is a good deal of anxiety both in Moscow and in European capitals over the upcoming EU-Russia summit in Brussels, set for November 11. Now is a defining moment for the relationship between Russia and Europe for the next several decades. Alexander Rahr, coordinator of the EU-Russia forum, head of the German Foreign Policy Society, and author of books about Putin, The German in the Kremlin and The Partner in the Kremlin, is interviewed by MN's Alexander Sosnovsky.

It has been more than a decade since the Soviet Union disintegrated. But we can still hear calls for redefining our relationship. Has a decade not been enough?

After some vacillation, the West concluded that Russia was after all an alien country: much too big and ambiguous. Russia is talked to politely but most of the time it is simply brushed aside. I believe that, unfortunately, this mutual brushing aside defines the current state of relations between the EU and Russia. Summits take place, politicians meet, exchanging bear hugs, and everyone is familiar with everyone else, but there is a strong feeling of alienation.

For the first time in centuries, Russia is not facing any direct threat from Europe. However, at present there is a no less serious indirect threat emerging. On the European continent, where Russia, ever since the days of Peter the Great, has held its historical place, it is beginning to be crowded out and treated like a state that will never be admitted to the main club. Look, soon even such states as Luxembourg or Estonia will have a vote and veto power on development matters at the EU and NATO. But not Russia. What is this? It is disregard for Russian interests, but I for one do not see a way out of this situation. Russia cannot become a member of the EU or NATO, while today there is simply no other really influential club like the OSCE or other similar bodies. This is a very unpleasant situation.

Furthermore, the West has begun a relentless fight against crime and money laundering, and so a new economic wall could emerge on Russian borders. Europe will steer clear of everything coming from Russia, at the same time increasing its well-being at the expense of Russia's natural resources. All of this will have a negative impact on the people. Say, it will be increasingly difficult to obtain entry visas. A very unfriendly environment could evolve. And this could happen very soon.

Or maybe this has already happened? At least, judging by the official attitude to Russian business. A while ago German authorities denied Yukos President Khodorkovsky an entry visa. The cause was a rumor about the oligarch's "possible" involvement in a financial scam. Meanwhile, Khodorkovsky announced his intention to invest more than $4 billion in the oil business in Europe. What is behind this attitude to Russian business?

There is a danger that at some point the Russian elite will realize that the EU wants to hold it at bay. While there is plenty of fine talk about a European unified economic and military area, the EU is doing nothing in practice - it seems to be using rhetoric to play for time. The situation is compounded by the problem of Kaliningrad where the EU is for the first time beginning to talk from a position of force. "We are standing up for sovereign Lithuania and for our own borders in the East," Europe says. If Russia does not accept this, the EU is ready for a cooling in relations. The lack of mutual understanding with Russia will not affect the well-being of this generation of Europeans, which is the sole concern for the present EU leadership.

But does Europe not need Russia as a foreign policy ally? Now that Germany has run into disagreement with the United States over Iraq, could Berlin find in Russia a kind of an ersatz strong partner, a substitute for the United States?

Recently they have learned to look on Putin as a foreign policy partner. True, Brussels and Berlin are doing precious little to actually support him. The United States is also doing very little, but in any event, it is doing more than Europe: at least, it does not keep throwing his Soviet past back at him. A moment could come when the Russian elite will simply forget about the EU and start orienting exclusively toward the United States.

European business is still sitting on the fence. The Europeans still regard Russia as a country that could at any moment have a new financial meltdown. There is also a media stereotype to the effect that a sick Russia is the main source of corruption and crime flowing into virtuous Europe. Russia should be given a wide berth, they say; it cannot be allowed to become strong. Let it remain weak, and then we could be friends with it - out of pity. There is far less interest in Russia than there was a decade ago. Europe today is preoccupied with itself. If we look at the coalition agreement between the Green Party and the Social Democrats who are now in power in Germany, we will see that foreign policy matters come seventh - very near the end of a 10-point program. There is no room for Russia there at all, and this is typical of all European states.

The German media report with some concern that LUKoil has already established a subsidiary in Hamburg - LUKoil Hamburg GMBH. That is to say, if Russia is not a priority, Russian businessmen had better stay at home. How long will this situation go on?

This is an entirely new element in the Russian-European relationship. Western capital still stays out of Russia. All attempts to attract it have failed. And now all of a sudden LUKoil and others are coming to Europe on their own. This is a unique development that has stunned many over here. Some obscure Russian structures come and buy up whole plants in Germany - Dornier, Aral. Unfortunately, German authorities are extremely wary of this. It is not only a matter of money laundering. There is fear that new Russian owners will start treating people here in the same way as in Russia - acquiring assets and abandoning employees to their fate. So hidden impediments are being placed in the way of Russian capital. And there is no way Russians can do without political lobbying here. This is an uphill task, because they will have to counter not only deeply ingrained stereotypes but also European snobbery toward Russia.

The concept of globalization in European interpretation has been confined to well-being in individual EU countries and the United States: We will tell you how to build democracy and a market economy, and you will act on our advice. But please, not here. Every successful investment project somewhere in Russia will be duly reported in the news and reports by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry. On the other hand, no one seems to appreciate the fact that in the past decade a new generation of economists, businessmen, and politicians has grown in Russia and that they need no lecturing from anyone.

So, there is nothing that Russians could learn from Europe?

Of course there is. But when Russia says that it has its own unique path to follow, Europe should understand and not reject this out of hand. In this dialogue, we aren't on the same wavelength, more is the pity. People like myself are not allowed near the helm in their countries. The German side wants to teach Russians to build civil society no matter what. Just look at us, our economy, human rights, and advanced German humanism. You will never have that, but you should learn all the same. It is both humiliating and annoying for Russia to hear this. We remain at arm's length from each other.

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