Facing Energy Crisis, Europe Has Forgiven Russia for Chechnya

MOSCOW, Oct 31, 2000 -- (Agence France Presse) Facing an energy crisis, Europe has turned a blind eye to oil-rich Russia's war in Chechnya, Russian newspapers said Tuesday, commenting President Vladimir Putin's summit with EU leaders.

"The potential intrigue linked to France's view of (war in) Chechnya never materialized," Vremya Novostei wrote of the gathering in Paris.

"As much as (French) journalists wrote about Chechnya before Putin's visit, the EU seems to have taken a very formal view about Chechnya. They say: 'We have been forced to ask you about it, so, we are asking.'"

The newspaper said Putin, on his first visit to France -- one of the most vocal critics of the 13-month military offensive -- had demonstrated that Russia has developed into a predictable and trustworthy partner.

"The era of great intrigue -- when it was never clear whether Russia might just blow something up, or close its border, or bang its shoe on the table, or perhaps ally itself to Liberia or peg its currency to the pound -- is over," Vremya Novostei wrote.

In a joint statement Monday, Putin and French counterpart Jacques Chirac, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency, stressed their "shared commitment to European security and stability" and their desire to boost Russia's "strategic partnership" with the rest of Europe.

The leaders said in a communiquC) they planned to boost their cooperation in the natural gas, oil and power sectors and announced the establishment of dialogue to open the way to an "EU-Russia energy partnership."

Moscow newspapers agreed Tuesday that the European Union, in response to growing oil prices that have put a damper on EU economic growth, now viewed Russia as a business partner rather than brutal military regime.

"The energy crisis has brought Russia and the European Union closer together," the Nezavisimaya Gazeta wrote. "Vladimir Putin had an easy time finding a common language with the Europeans."

"If Russia now, most of all, needs a good reputation, then the EU most of all needs a stable supply of energy," the Vremya MN newspaper agreed.

"So a deal (for Russia) to supply energy in exchange for winning long-term economic investment is taking on political, not just economic, overtones," said the paper.

Meanwhile escalating Israeli-Palestinian violence in the Middle East is forcing European states to re-assess their condemnation of Russia's offensive in predominantly Muslim Chechnya, claimed Nezavisimaya.

"Finally, events in the Middle East have completely calmed Europe's anger over Russia's policies in the North Caucasus, because they view the situation there as one similar to that in Chechnya," the daily wrote. ((c) 2000 Agence France Presse)

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-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), October 31, 2000