V. V. Putin's geopolitical catastrophe

[Natalia Pylypiuk]

Greetings!

To view the manner in which Mr. Putin's remarks were presented in the 
Ukrainian press, see:
http://www2.pravda.com.ua/archive/2005/april/25/news/20.shtml

According to the remarks cited in this report, Mr Putin is concerned 
with the rights of ethnic Russians who, as a result of the
USSR's breakup, find themselves outside of Russia.  Interestingly, he 
fails to mention the rights
of the numerous non-Russians living within the Russian federation.

A better politician would first enumerate what the Russian federation 
is doing for the retention
of language and culture among its minorities, including those whose 
roots are elsewhere and those
whose lands were conquered by the Russian empire.  If no such measures 
are in place, the politician
would work toward introducing them. Having proposed a model worthy of 
imitation,
the politician would request that the same be done for the Russian 
minorities in today's independent countries.

As things stand, Mr Putin lacks the moral authority to talk about 
minority rights in the post-Soviet space.

N.P.


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Dr. Natalia Pylypiuk, Associate Professor
Modern Languages and Cultural Studies  http://www.mlcs.ca
200 Arts, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada T6G 2E6
voice mail: (780) 492-3498

Canadian Association of Slavists
http://www.ualberta.ca/~csp/cas

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