Hasbara Buster
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Russia Giving Germany a Taste of Its Own Interventionist Medicine
Berlin's indignation at the Russian government's concern over the alleged rape of a 13 year old Russian girl in Germany highlights the double standard when it comes to which countries are permitted to meddle in others' affairs
Originally appeared at German Foreign Policy. Translated by Kay Olms
The confrontation between Berlin and Moscow, about how to deal with the alleged abuse of a 13-year-old girl from Berlin, continues.
There is no justification to use the case for 'political Propaganda' said German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, on charges from his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. Lavrov, however, continues with his criticism and is confronting German authorities for having political motives. The dispute carries weight, with his statement he has clearly sided with the Russian-German community, of whom more than 10,000 took to the streets in protest last weekend, against, among other things allegedly criminal refugees - accompanied by extreme-right activists.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs’ has brought the experience of outright interventionist practices to his own country, Germany, for the first time, just as Berlin has arrogated for itself from foreign countries a long time now. A prime example are the German actions in Kiev regarding the preparation and execution of a coup d'état in early 2014, demonstrating the kind of escalation Moscow could initiate, would it claim the same rights as Berlin.
Protests are lighting up
The current dispute arose, after a 13-year-old girl from Berlin went missing on January 11th for a 30-hour period and had been presumably sexually abused by two men during this time. The case made major waves in the Russian-German community, where the girl resides; soon it was claimed the 13-year-old was raped by migrants. German racists became interested in the case, not solved at the time, stirring up sentiment against refugees.
On the other hand, the case was also discussed in the Russian media on an exceptionally wide scale, which is transmitted to the Russian-German community. Last weekend, according to observed estimates, 11 - 12,000 mostly Russian-German citizens demonstrated, accusing the German authorities of inaction and even concealment in many cities nationwide.
What’s new though, is that for the first time, protests in Germany are being systematically inflamed by Russian media. This week, Russia's foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, intervened in the debate. He hopes, that the current dispute over refugees in Germany does not "lead to an attempt at repainting a politically correct reality for domestic policy reasons"; the incident must not be repeated.[1]
Fueled distrust
Major German media outlets explicitly classify this case as a number of others as Russian intervention in the internal affairs of Western European States. For some time now, Russia has been supporting "nationalist forces" in the EU, "beginning with the Front National to the AFD" a comment states, with a view of limiting contacts between high-ranking Russian politicians and ultra-right parties in several EU States. "For quite a while, Putin's media has been stirring up distrust among Western elites", it is further claimed; now they are using "a case of alleged rape by migrants in Berlin... to agitate the Russian-speaking population in Germany". "The demonstrations last weekend," and "the sinister insinuations of Russian foreign Minister Lavrov" are "a momentary culmination in expanding the combat zone".[2]
Meanwhile, the federal government reacted sharply and the Russian Ambassador was summoned to a meeting at the the Foreign Office on Wednesday to relay the government’s discontent. Government spokespeople repeatedly voiced criticism of Russian media; German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier attacked his Russian counterpart Lavrov on Wednesday directly and expressedly, that there is no justification to use the case "for political propaganda, to influence an already difficult inner-German migration debate and to inflame it".[3] Lavrov, in turn, repudiated Steinmeier's allegations yesterday. The conflict continues.
Promoted upheaval
In truth, Moscow's interference in the internal affairs of the Federal Republic, is exactly what Germany and other Western States have been doing for a long time now. Most recently, just how Berlin and Germany's major media heated up protests beyond the borders of Germany, could be observed during Kiev's Maidan demonstrations in 2013/14. In favor of protests at that time were not only the majority of federal republic media, but state sponsored foreign country broadcaster 'Deutsche Welle' as well; Deutsche Welle Russian and Ukrainian broadcasts of course.
German politicians blended within these demonstrations as well, including former Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, who showed up on Maidan to express his approval of the protests on the 5th of December 2013.[4] Guido Westerwelle was accompanied on his stroll on the Majdan by Vitali Klitschko, a leader of the revolt, whose party UDAR was built on significant support from the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation (CDU). German authorities were in regular contact with the driving forces behind the Maidan revolt.
Enabling fascists
Berlin hasn't even rejected using fascist forces to realize the goal of regime change. Since autumn 2012, the Adenauer-Foundation has supported Klitschko’s party UDAR, then began cooperating with Svoboda, a party that associates itself with the traditions of the Nazi-collaborator Stepan Bandera.[5] Since 2012/13 on, the diplomatic agencies of several western states have contacted Svoboda directly; at a time when the party, in cooperation with UDAR and other organizations, was planning large protests to overthrow the government of Yanukovich.
At the end of April 2013, Germany’s Ambassador in Ukraine, Christof Weil, met with Svoboda leader Oleh Tyahnybok for a conversation; a few weeks prior, a Svoboda delegation had met in the Saxon State Parliament with the NPD party to negotiate political agreements. Tyahnybok later reported on his exchange on the "political situation" in the country with Weil. He had assured that his party will "do their best to pave the way for the association agreement (with the EU)". In particular, he asked of the German Ambassador that "the international community" should contribute to bring down "the anti-Ukrainian regime (of former President Yanukovych)".[6]
A broken monopoly
If the Western powers including Germany, had a de facto monopoly on open interference in the internal affairs of foreign states so far, including calls for regime change, since the spring of 2014 Russia is no longer willing to simply accept this power hubris. The first backlash against western hegemony was the takeover of Crimea; with that, Moscow undid the claim of the West of being the only one to decide on the break up of states, as in the case of Kosovo’s secession in 2008.
The current approach of the Russian media and the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs shows that Russia is willing to break the de facto monopoly of the West on intervention in the internal affairs of foreign States. In terms of intervention, with their approach in Ukraine, Berlin has set the legitimate standards for escalation.
The current disputes regarding the case of abuse in the German capital are giving the German side a taste of the fatal consequences such interference entails for the first time. The level of escalation that Berlin can incite in other states without any problem, as in Ukraine, hasn’t nearly been reached yet.
--
[1] Fall Lisa: Das sind die Fakten. www.n-tv.de 27.01.2016.
[2] Friedrich Schmidt: Russlands Kampfzone. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 27.01.2016.
[3] Bundesregierung weist Lawrows Vertuschungs-Vorwurf zurück. www.dw.com 27.01.2016.
[4] S. dazu Unser Mann in Kiew. http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/fulltext/58754
[5] S. dazu Vaterland und Freiheit. http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/fulltext/58447
[6] S. dazu Termin beim Botschafter. http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/fulltext/58750
Russia Giving Germany a Taste of Its Own Interventionist Medicine
Berlin's indignation at the Russian government's concern over the alleged rape of a 13 year old Russian girl in Germany highlights the double standard when it comes to which countries are permitted to meddle in others' affairs
Originally appeared at German Foreign Policy. Translated by Kay Olms
The confrontation between Berlin and Moscow, about how to deal with the alleged abuse of a 13-year-old girl from Berlin, continues.
There is no justification to use the case for 'political Propaganda' said German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, on charges from his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. Lavrov, however, continues with his criticism and is confronting German authorities for having political motives. The dispute carries weight, with his statement he has clearly sided with the Russian-German community, of whom more than 10,000 took to the streets in protest last weekend, against, among other things allegedly criminal refugees - accompanied by extreme-right activists.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs’ has brought the experience of outright interventionist practices to his own country, Germany, for the first time, just as Berlin has arrogated for itself from foreign countries a long time now. A prime example are the German actions in Kiev regarding the preparation and execution of a coup d'état in early 2014, demonstrating the kind of escalation Moscow could initiate, would it claim the same rights as Berlin.
Protests are lighting up
The current dispute arose, after a 13-year-old girl from Berlin went missing on January 11th for a 30-hour period and had been presumably sexually abused by two men during this time. The case made major waves in the Russian-German community, where the girl resides; soon it was claimed the 13-year-old was raped by migrants. German racists became interested in the case, not solved at the time, stirring up sentiment against refugees.
On the other hand, the case was also discussed in the Russian media on an exceptionally wide scale, which is transmitted to the Russian-German community. Last weekend, according to observed estimates, 11 - 12,000 mostly Russian-German citizens demonstrated, accusing the German authorities of inaction and even concealment in many cities nationwide.
What’s new though, is that for the first time, protests in Germany are being systematically inflamed by Russian media. This week, Russia's foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, intervened in the debate. He hopes, that the current dispute over refugees in Germany does not "lead to an attempt at repainting a politically correct reality for domestic policy reasons"; the incident must not be repeated.[1]
Fueled distrust
Major German media outlets explicitly classify this case as a number of others as Russian intervention in the internal affairs of Western European States. For some time now, Russia has been supporting "nationalist forces" in the EU, "beginning with the Front National to the AFD" a comment states, with a view of limiting contacts between high-ranking Russian politicians and ultra-right parties in several EU States. "For quite a while, Putin's media has been stirring up distrust among Western elites", it is further claimed; now they are using "a case of alleged rape by migrants in Berlin... to agitate the Russian-speaking population in Germany". "The demonstrations last weekend," and "the sinister insinuations of Russian foreign Minister Lavrov" are "a momentary culmination in expanding the combat zone".[2]
Meanwhile, the federal government reacted sharply and the Russian Ambassador was summoned to a meeting at the the Foreign Office on Wednesday to relay the government’s discontent. Government spokespeople repeatedly voiced criticism of Russian media; German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier attacked his Russian counterpart Lavrov on Wednesday directly and expressedly, that there is no justification to use the case "for political propaganda, to influence an already difficult inner-German migration debate and to inflame it".[3] Lavrov, in turn, repudiated Steinmeier's allegations yesterday. The conflict continues.
Promoted upheaval
In truth, Moscow's interference in the internal affairs of the Federal Republic, is exactly what Germany and other Western States have been doing for a long time now. Most recently, just how Berlin and Germany's major media heated up protests beyond the borders of Germany, could be observed during Kiev's Maidan demonstrations in 2013/14. In favor of protests at that time were not only the majority of federal republic media, but state sponsored foreign country broadcaster 'Deutsche Welle' as well; Deutsche Welle Russian and Ukrainian broadcasts of course.
German politicians blended within these demonstrations as well, including former Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, who showed up on Maidan to express his approval of the protests on the 5th of December 2013.[4] Guido Westerwelle was accompanied on his stroll on the Majdan by Vitali Klitschko, a leader of the revolt, whose party UDAR was built on significant support from the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation (CDU). German authorities were in regular contact with the driving forces behind the Maidan revolt.
Enabling fascists
Berlin hasn't even rejected using fascist forces to realize the goal of regime change. Since autumn 2012, the Adenauer-Foundation has supported Klitschko’s party UDAR, then began cooperating with Svoboda, a party that associates itself with the traditions of the Nazi-collaborator Stepan Bandera.[5] Since 2012/13 on, the diplomatic agencies of several western states have contacted Svoboda directly; at a time when the party, in cooperation with UDAR and other organizations, was planning large protests to overthrow the government of Yanukovich.
At the end of April 2013, Germany’s Ambassador in Ukraine, Christof Weil, met with Svoboda leader Oleh Tyahnybok for a conversation; a few weeks prior, a Svoboda delegation had met in the Saxon State Parliament with the NPD party to negotiate political agreements. Tyahnybok later reported on his exchange on the "political situation" in the country with Weil. He had assured that his party will "do their best to pave the way for the association agreement (with the EU)". In particular, he asked of the German Ambassador that "the international community" should contribute to bring down "the anti-Ukrainian regime (of former President Yanukovych)".[6]
A broken monopoly
If the Western powers including Germany, had a de facto monopoly on open interference in the internal affairs of foreign states so far, including calls for regime change, since the spring of 2014 Russia is no longer willing to simply accept this power hubris. The first backlash against western hegemony was the takeover of Crimea; with that, Moscow undid the claim of the West of being the only one to decide on the break up of states, as in the case of Kosovo’s secession in 2008.
The current approach of the Russian media and the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs shows that Russia is willing to break the de facto monopoly of the West on intervention in the internal affairs of foreign States. In terms of intervention, with their approach in Ukraine, Berlin has set the legitimate standards for escalation.
The current disputes regarding the case of abuse in the German capital are giving the German side a taste of the fatal consequences such interference entails for the first time. The level of escalation that Berlin can incite in other states without any problem, as in Ukraine, hasn’t nearly been reached yet.
--
[1] Fall Lisa: Das sind die Fakten. www.n-tv.de 27.01.2016.
[2] Friedrich Schmidt: Russlands Kampfzone. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 27.01.2016.
[3] Bundesregierung weist Lawrows Vertuschungs-Vorwurf zurück. www.dw.com 27.01.2016.
[4] S. dazu Unser Mann in Kiew. http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/fulltext/58754
[5] S. dazu Vaterland und Freiheit. http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/fulltext/58447
[6] S. dazu Termin beim Botschafter. http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/fulltext/58750
Russia Giving Germany a Taste of Its Own Interventionist Medicine
