Lithuania expels Russian diplomats

[David McDuff]

It looks as though the plot is thickening...


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3494226.stm

[ethics]

Whoa... this is huge...OR not... More like everyday in the FSU politics.

[David McDuff]

Whoa... this is huge...OR not... More like everyday in the FSU politics.

Yes, it's more like "par for the course", I think. But probably this is just some Lithuanian housecleaning before the country enters NATO. Still, it comes at an interesting time.

[ethics]

I watched the Russian version of the deal--from their news on television, and they were pretty much reporting it as if there's new taste of salad at the local deli. Nothing new, move along folks. :)

[David McDuff]

I watched the Russian version of the deal--from their news on television, and they were pretty much reporting it as if there's new taste of salad at the local deli. Nothing new, move along folks. :)

Could this be more of the same?


Latvia Refuses Visa To Russian Politician Over Language Issue
Riga, 27 February 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Latvia has refused to issue a visa to the deputy speaker of the Russian Duma, Dmitrii Rogozin, amid rising tensions over a law that will increase use of the Latvian language in the country's schools.


Latvian Foreign Ministry spokesman Rets Plesums confirmed the visa refusal, citing what he called Rogozin's lack of will for constructive dialogue.

Rogozin, known for his tough position on ensuring the rights of Russian speakers abroad, was planning to attend a congress of Russian schools in Latvia, in early March.

Tensions have risen between Latvia and Russia after Latvia recently adopted a law that mandates that 60 percent of classes taught in the country's 159 Russian-language secondary schools must be in the Latvian language.

[ethics]

Perhaps. I think the Baltics want Putin to know that they know all about him and that while he can fool the Russians in Russia, he isn't fooling the Baltic states.