EDITORIAL: The Russian Duma speaks its mind (03/24/96)

EDITORIAL

The Russian Duma speaks its mind

Let's just say it right off the bat: The Russian Duma's resolution of March 15 - which attempts to turn the clock back by stating that the break-up of the Soviet Union in December 1991 was illegal - is dangerous.

Though it is merely a resolution, not a bill, and thus is not legally binding, it nonetheless gives the world reason to pause and ponder the developments in "democratic" Russia - not to mention its destabilizing effects regionally and worldwide.

The Communist-dominated Duma of the Russian Federation on March 15 voted overwhelmingly - 250-98 - to abrogate the Russian SFSR Supreme Soviet's resolution of December 12, 1991, which denounced the 1922 agreement on the USSR's formation. (This is just a preview of what could happen if the Communists come to full power - if their candidate wins the presidential election in June.)

The resolution in effect renounces the Belaya Vezha accord signed on the outskirts of Brest by Russia, Ukraine and Belarus in December 1991. That "Slavic summit" declared the end of the USSR "as a subject of international law and a geopolitical reality," and it proclaimed the formation of a community of three states, which today is the 12-member Commonwealth of Independent States.

Ukraine immediately denounced the Russian Duma's action in a statement issued by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "In Ukraine, the adoption of this resolution by the State Duma of the Russian Federation is assessed as an attempt by certain political circles in Russia to revive the former USSR," that statement notes. "Ukraine condemns such actions as a threat to peace and stability not only for these countries, but for the entire world as well." It goes on to underscore that almost 92 percent of the population (of Ukraine) voted for Ukraine's independence" and states that the Russian Duma's vote is "an internal act of the Russian Federation and cannot have extraterritorial jurisdiction."

Nonetheless, as President Leonid Kuchma pointed out, the Russian Duma resolution cannot be ignored from "the social and political point of view." He told U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher, while he was visiting Kyiv just four days later, "I think you understand that Ukraine requires political stability as never before."

Mr. Christopher, in turn, tried to assure Ukraine: "Last week's vote in the Russian Duma to reconstitute the Soviet Union was highly irresponsible. It was as disturbing to us as I know it was to Ukraine. ... Ukraine and other countries of the former Soviet Union are independent and sovereign nations. Any unilateral attempt to change their status should be rejected by the international community." He later added, that the vote "had a certain quality of intimidation," and therefore, "it seemed prudent to make known our views in advance."

Prudent, indeed. The Russian Duma's action sent a collective shudder through member-states of the CIS who are looking to shore up the region's stability while building normal bilateral and multilateral ties among themselves, as well as the neighboring Baltic states. Estonian Foreign Minister Siim Kallas characterized the vote as "an intention to recreate the USSR, which would pose a threat to the entire world. The world should be concerned, not just us."

Indeed, it should. And it should not be content to accept Russian President Boris Yeltsin's assurances that "this resolution is nonsense and nothing will come of it." Instead it should contemplate the words of warning expressed by Mr. Yeltsin's press secretary, who said "The possible internal and international consequences of this decision could be of an unpredictable and explosive nature."

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