[ad_1]
ACTS Post opinions with a wide range of perspectives to encourage constructive discussion.
“Russia is a wonderful country, but its leadership prefers to act as we see it now.” The former German ambassador to Moscow, Rüdiger von Fritsch, has analyzed Russia’s behavior in the Navalny case.
Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a nerve agent, this has been demonstrated in Berlin and in several other foreign laboratories. However, Moscow wants proof and threatens to “worsen bilateral relations.” How do you interpret these words from Moscow?
Rüdiger von Fritsch: My job is like “the thief yells to hold the thief”. Each time the reactions are the same: counter-accusations, attempts to deflect blame, attacks, threats, taunts and no investigation. Alexei Navalny was poisoned in Russia on August 20 with a nerve agent. The Russian government had a wonderful opportunity to investigate and clarify the case. Many facts can be established on the ground. But nothing was done, there was complete silence. Even if it were someone else, as they like to claim in Moscow, this could also be proven. Instead, Russia is making counter-accusations. I think the German government has done the right thing: it has informed the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), of which Russia is also a member. Thus, an investigation can be initiated in accordance with the established international order.
Is Moscow lying or is there really a danger for German companies, foundations and organizations working in Russia?
Rüdiger von Fritsch: Russia must decide for itself whether it is lying and how much it wants to hurt itself. Its relations with other countries are already damaged enough, not just with Germany. This is not a case that affects only Russia and Germany, but an international problem: a violation of an international treaty that prohibits the use of chemical weapons. And this affects the entire world community. Russia has created this problem. Everything known so far speaks for itself.
According to Die Zeit and Tagesschau, the substance used was an improved version of the Soviet Novichok warhead. In practice, this means that the state could not have been involved in the attack. If Berlin is convinced that Russia is using banned chemical weapons against political opponents, what would that mean for German-Russian relations?
Rüdiger von Fritsch: This is a bad development. But unfortunately it is not the first time: to remember the Skripal case, after which there were again counter-accusations, taunts and everything else. However, it was later established that two Russian military intelligence agents, whose names are known, had tried to poison Sergei Skripal and his daughter with Novichok. This means that we have the same model for these attacks. Thats the reality. Unfortunately, it is terrible. And this will not facilitate our contacts with a significant country. Russia is a huge and beautiful country. During the five difficult years I spent in Moscow, I never allowed my sympathies for Russia to fade because I like the country, its history. I have great respect for its culture and its people. But right now they have a leadership that prefers to act as we see it now.
Following the Navalny poisoning in Berlin, there was talk of possible sanctions against Russia. One of the measures discussed concerns the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Do you still think that the project should be completed?
Rüdiger von Fritsch: On the one hand, it is important to note that this option also remains open. On the other hand, Nord Stream is an economic project that, of course, also has a political dimension. Economic interests. And if the fracking gas we offer is better from an environmental point of view. It is interesting to know in this regard that the United States imports as much oil from Russia as Germany imports natural gas from there.
* Rüdiger von Fritsch was German ambassador to Russia from March 2014 to June 2019. His book The Road to Russia: A German Ambassador in Moscow is about to be published.
Germany
[ad_2]
