Leading Russian daily Kommersant reports today that the leaders of separatist regions of the CIS – Raul Khajimba and Sergey Bagapsh of Abkhazia, Eduard Kokoity of South Ossetia, Igor Smirnov of Transnistria are visiting Moscow at the same time. In addition Viktor Yanukovich, Moscow’s favorite in Ukraine’s Presidential race is also visiting the Russian capital.
The publication says, that similar simultaneous visit took place in the end of 2003, after the “Revolution of Roses” in Georgia, when leaders of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Adjara visited Russia, while the Russian MFA started to speak about “increase in centrifugal tendencies” in Georgia.
This time Kommersant speculates, upset by Viktor Yushchenko’s victory in Ukraine and fledging Ukraine-Georgia partnership, Russia tries to demonstrate its force by “calling in all the leaders that could be useful in the further political game.”
The paper says while “unfriendly” Mikheil Saakashvili and Viktor Yushchenko visit Strasbourg to voice their European aspirations, Moscow provides the forum for its “friendly” leaders to make secessionist political statements.