Russia grumbles as OSCE pulls out

Russian officials continue to blast the Baltic states' treatment of local ethnic Russian populations, as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe gears up to close down its office in Estonia.

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said the OSCE missions in Estonia and Latvia have failed to protect Russian minorities in both countries from discrimination, even though the organization has had a significant impact on the Baltic countries' policies.

Issues surrounding citizenship and use of the Russian language remain unresolved, he added.

Estonia and Latvia reluctantly allowed the two OSCE missions to be established in 1992 to monitor the integration of the large Russian communities in the two Baltic states.

Organization officials in Estonia decided to close up shop because its mission had been fulfilled after the Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament) amended a controversial language law.

"As could be seen from the debate in the Estonian Parliament, as well as from the broad press coverage of this issue, the need to bring the laws in line with international norms and standards, in particular with Article 25 of the UN Covenant on Political and Civil Rights, has been recognized," a mission official said.

"The mission sees it as a very positive sign that the Riigikogu decided not to have two different categories of citizens."

The revamped law dealt with the language skill requirements for elected officials.

But Russian officials are not so upbeat about developments in the Baltics.

Boris Pastukhov, a Duma committee chairman, said that while Estonia definitely has a better track record on the treatment of ethnic Russians, the Baltics still have large strides to take with regard to employment practices and citizenship.

Pastukhov pointed to Latvia's naturalization of only 8,000 of its half-million non-citizens during the first nine months of 2001. Neighboring Estonia granted naturalization to 3,500 of its 220,000 non-citizens.

He added that in the 10 years since the collapse of the Soviet Union, 8 million people had moved from Russia to former Soviet republics, some of whom were returning to their country of origin.

Russia is also concerned with attempts to rehabilitate people who served in the Nazi ranks during World War II, Ivanov said.

Both Baltic states are facing increased international scrutiny of their minority policies as possible entry to the European Union looms.

According to the Open Society Institute, an offshoot of the Soros Foundation that monitors the process of EU expansion, the principal problems faced by ethnic Russians in Latvia and Estonia are best understood as a denial of their right to maintain an identity separate from the local culture.

Restrictions on language use and political life not only restrict the minority's right to be different, the organization adds, but excludes ethnic Russians from participation in mainstream society.

Pastukhov, however, is looking to Russia for solutions.

He said he approved both the increased activity at the government committee for compatriots headed by Vice Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko and the allocation of 135 million rubles ($4.4 million) from the 2002 Russian national budget for assistance to ethnic Russians abroad.

"It's a small amount, but better than nothing," Pastukhov said. "And if the funds are used rationally, one can achieve good results, indeed."