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17.07.07
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Media Fallout Polarizes Around Lugovoi
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By Shaun Walker
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The decision by new British Foreign Secretary David Miliband to expel four Russian diplomats from Britain and tighten visa regulations for Russian officials dominated the front pages of British and Russian newspapers this morning. Both sides were indignant with the other, with only isolated voices of reason among the rhetoric.
Izvestia, which ran a short interview with Andrei Lugovoi, the man behind the row, was perhaps the most bullish. Lugovoi was asked whether he was worried that if he traveled to third countries, Britain might seek his extradition from there, and answered, presumably with a wry smile, that “I don’t have any plans to leave Russia for anywhere – I like it here.” The paper also ran a long article on the British response, infused with indignation at Miliband’s announcement. “Does Brown and his team really think that it’s possible to get by in international affairs today without Russia? Or has the Kremlin really given reason to think that this kind of challenge will go without a response? A ‘satisfactory response’ from Moscow won’t be long in coming. And why exactly does Britain need to open a ‘second front,’ when it still has not got to grips with terrorists that have declared jihad on it?”
Kommersant, along with several other papers, brought up the “spy rock” scandal of last year and mentioned that even in this case, no British diplomats were expelled from Moscow. It suggested that this episode could be mentioned in any response that Russia makes.
Vremya Novostei referred to Gordon Brown’s words on the affair, given at a joint conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. “Brown’s words that he wanted to keep ‘the best possible relationships’ with Russia can only be taken as a joke. It’s clear that London has consciously decided to worsen already cool relations between Russia and the West.”
In Britain, meanwhile, an equally firm stance was taken. Britain’s most popular newspaper, The Sun, never one to mince its words, ran an editorial full of support for the decision and playing up the threat from Moscow. “Rough justice is the way they do business in Vladimir Putin’s lawless Russia,” screamed the editorial. “Speak out of turn and you end up with a bullet in the head. President Putin makes it clear he would use the same tactics to cow his European neighbours.” It continued: “We have learned in two World Wars not to appease bullies… kicking out four spies is the least we can do to show Moscow cannot get away with cold-blooded murder.”
The Times, which like The Sun is owned by Rupert Murdoch but is aimed at a slightly more literate audience, ran a leader titled “Britain’s measures against Russia are balanced and appropriate.” The paper said that it was clear that no measures would have persuaded or forced Russia to extradite Lugovoi, and that any punitive action would provoke a response from Moscow. “The key issue was what steps could be taken that were both measured and appropriate,” said the newspaper. “Those announced yesterday were right… Britain will suffer, and cynics may argue that today’s measures are futile and counter-productive. But they send a signal to all those who would silence their critics abroad: Britain will protect those on its soil and cannot overlook murder for the sake of diplomatic convenience.”
The right-wing Daily Telegraph also welcomed David Miliband’s response, saying it was the least that could be expected, while chastising Putin and Russian foreign policy of late. “With his refusal to cooperate over Iran and Kosovo, his threats to target nuclear warheads on Europe and his suspension of the 1990 Conventional Forces in Europe treaty, Mr. Putin has made it clear that his foreign policy is based on anti-Westernism,” said the paper.
Perhaps surprisingly, the more left-wing papers, the Independent and Guardian, who in recent months have taken a tough stance on Russia, were more cautious in their approaches. The Independent ran a vitriolic column by double agent Oleg Gordievksy, stating that it was an “open-and-shut case” of a state assassination ordered by Putin, and that the Russian ambassador himself should have been kicked out of Britain. He called the response “totally pathetic.” But the paper also ran a column lamenting the fact that “Britain somehow seems, still, to find it uniquely difficult to deal with Russia without preaching and recrimination.” The leading article mentioned Russian angst over Britain’s refusal to extradite Boris Berezovsky and Akhmed Zakayev. “Mr. Miliband is right to demand loudly that justice be done,” said the article. “But he must be careful not to jettison the arts of diplomacy entirely.”
The Guardian ran a comment from Sir Rodric Braithwaite, the former British ambassador to Russia, who said that Russian accusations of double standards against the West often contained some justification, and that anti-Russian rhetoric was “misjudged.” While the Litvinenko murder was a serious crime that would have been difficult to ignore, the British decision will create tension. “David Miliband says he does not want to damage the broader relationship: we and the Russians have too many interests in common. He is right. But there will be storms ahead for some months before we all get back to business as usual, as we always do.”
With a Russian response to Britain’s moves expected this afternoon, tomorrow’s headlines could be similar, only with Russian and British roles reversed. |
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