US official on apology visit to Eastern Europe
Published: 21 October, 2009, 16:17
Edited: 23 October, 2009, 01:41
Joe Biden (R) lays a wreath at the Ghetto monument in Warsaw on October 21, 2009 (AFP Photo / Janek Skarzynski)
TAGS: Meeting, Russia, Politics, Europe, USA
US Vice President Joe Biden started a trip to East Europe on Wednesday, intending to calm down the leaders of Poland and the Czech Republic over the recent change of plans in ballistic missile protection.
Biden’s previous visit to the post-Soviet space took place in summer and, while he possibly managed to calm down the leaders of Georgia and Ukraine, the attitude of these two nations to Russia has not improved.
Before leaving on the Eastern European trip on Tuesday, Biden gave an interview with the Polish press in which he said that his nation would not enter any deals with Russia without the consent of East European countries. He also said that the latest decision on missile shield would be more effective than the previous, now scrapped, option and also that European Security would only benefit from the improved relations between US and Russia.
While Czechs and Poles definitely long for an explanation from the US side after the September 17 announcement about the change of plans in the missile defense sphere, it is not clear whether the leaders of these nations would actually be satisfied after the visit or will have to make such an impression. There are no signs that there will be any correction in the change of plans, but on the other hand, Poland and the Czech Republic were more upset about the form in which the change was presented – through a media leak and a subsequent phone call – than the actual cancellation of plans, over which there was no unanimous opinion in these countries (especially in the Czech Republic).
If the reason for the visit is a formal apology, it will be not the first time Joe Biden has made such a trip. Only in late July, did he return from Georgia and Ukraine, where he also tried to console the local leaders, who were upset by stronger ties between Russia and the US. Biden assured Georgia and Ukraine of support, and said that the US would back these nations’ move to enter NATO in case such move were made, but he promised no concrete steps and none were made to support the Georgian and Ukrainian authorities in their struggle against the Russian influence.
On the contrary, when in September the independent commission released the report blaming Georgia for the start of the brief war with Russia in August 2008, the United States did not offer Georgia support, and about two weeks after this, the news arrived that the plans for missile defense had changed.
Clearly, with new, better relations with Russia, the United States will no longer have to support its East European allies, who were very often used only to apply pressure to the Russian side. After all, Russia has much more to offer – the support to the US cause in Afghanistan, backing the US and Israel in their standoff with Iran, help in fighting terrorism, and providing security in Europe and Asia. If US authorities maintain a practical approach, there will be no more important parts for the former socialist states in Europe. But on the other hand, that would allow the leaders of these nations to concentrate on domestic and European policies, for the benefit of their people.
Kirill Bessonov, RT
21.10.2009, 14:22
1 comment
“Biden is in Poland just to improve America’s image”Joe Biden is visiting Warsaw in the wake of President Obama's decision to shelve the missile defense shield in Eastern Europe. Some Polish media have already labeled the visit as “damage control”. |
21.10.2009, 20:44
1 comment
"Russia convinced USA only dialogue would work with Iran"“Americans have been skeptical for some time,” says Vladimir Orlov, director of a Moscow-based think-tank. “Now, I think, Russia – together with Iran, together with France – should say: yes, this is how it should work.” |
@T Russia has fought against the odds before and always won or at least gave the other side a bloody nose apart from the defeat in 1917 when the US and Europe were eventually able to install Communism in Russia an 84%+ non anti-Russian government with the same people running the US and trying to create there NWO that they started in 1917 (actually a long time before that). And how are they going to pay and maintain this fabulous new missile system drug money with the opium they control in Afghanistan, sex trafficking revenue, etc. @apology Except when they talk to Russia they just lie through there teeth.
While Europe is acting like they are clueless, and do not know what is going on... Just your regular morally upright dreamers not knowing of the massive nuclear proliferation in Eastern Europe. That gives Europe the chance to again sit on two chairs. On one hand, they are not in the way, but they can later on, should the circumstances change, just beat up those East Europeans for doing "bad" things. Just like they are now acting "shocked" at the discovery of Luithuanian mini conc CIA camps. Eastern Europe and Baltics need to learn Sun Tzu's advice, to avoid befriending afar, and angering the near. Poland, of all places, that paid heavy price for trying to sit on both chairs in WWII, is doing it again. Hey, will Poland EVER learn? Do not befriend folks across the pond, while your European "friends" are silent on the subject, and Russia clearly your target. Bad idea. Accept the friendship from afar, and take their gifts only after EU gives explicit, and unanimous consensus, and after NATO as a whole approves the project. And even then, take into the considerations input from Russia, as their security also needs to be considered. Instead, Poland is too eager to call any Russian concern a "veto" on their security decisions. Taking such an extreme line, exposes Poland to any future change in course be it by NATO or EU. Being a member of NATO, Poland should relax, act low key, and seek consensus and moderation. Instead, it is doing anything but.... Perhaps the sugarplums of being a "leader" of East Europe are dancing in their heads. It is just too bad when a modicum of moderation is considered a bad thing.