Posted on 05/25/2010 10:51:48 AM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
A group of Russian dissidents and Kremlin critics said in an open letter Tuesday that Poland gives too much credit to Russia by not asking any questions about Russia’s investigation into the April crash that killed the Polish president.
Russian-Polish relations have for years been spectacularly bad as both countries fought for influence in the post-Soviet countries of eastern Europe and the Caucasus and Poland asserted it independence. Current disagreements over energy and military plans continue to cloud the relationship already marred by historic disputes, especially over the Soviet Union’s brutal domination of nations in central and eastern Europe in the 20th century.
A direct legal successor to the Soviet Union, Russia was cautiously making friendlier gestures in the Polish direction just days before the April 10 plane crash near the western Russian city of Smolensk, in which Polish President Lech Kaczynski and 95 others were killed when their airplane crashed on approach in thick fog. The officials were en route to a ceremony to remember Polish officers killed on Stalin’s orders in World War II. ....
“There’s an impression the Russian authorities are not interested in clarifying all reasons behind the catastrophe, while the Polish authorities repeat the assurances of ‘complete openness’ they get from the Russian side, not making any demands from it and only waiting patiently until the long-promised materials arrive from Moscow,” reads the letter.
The document, published Tuesday in conservative daily Rzeczpospolita, was signed by Soviet-era dissidents and present-day critics of the Kremlin: Alexander Bondarev, Vladimir Bukovsky, Viktor Feinberg, Natalya Gorbanevskaya, and Andrey Illarionov. ....
“It seems that the Polish friends are demonstrating some naiveté, forgetting that the interests of the current Kremlin leadership and those of the nations of Russia’s neighbors do not converge,” reads the letter.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.wsj.com ...
ping
Sounds like right out of the 'Tony Soprano' playbook.
“Diplomatic” is probably a better word. They are no doubt reluctant to stick their finger in the eye of the Russian bear when they know at the end of the day Barry Obama will not have their back.
They’d rather Putin hug them and not feed them polonium.
“Keep your friends close; keep your enemies even closer.”
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