Good for Russia's image

A loan to Iceland running into the billions would be good for Russia's political image, writes the Süddeutsche Zeitung. "The request from Reykjavík puts the Kremlin in an agreeable situation. After months of European and American accusations for having abased and dismembered Georgia, Russia of all countries is now to come to the rescue of the small Icelandic democracy. And other countries are lining up to do the same. No Kremlin screenplay could have done a more dramatic job, and it fits in wonderfully with the image Dmitry Medvedev was trying to project in calling for  'joint action' vis-à-vis the global crisis when he delivered the first Internet message by a Russian president in front of a high tech landscape of screens and telephones. Russia would be only too happy to help. Sceptics suspect Moscow wants to earn political interest on its loan by gaining economic influence or support in controversial questions like its Georgia policy. That would bring Moscow out of the defensive and allow it to buy its way back into diplomatic favour, so to speak."

» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Fiscal Policy, » Russia, » Europe
All available articles from » Sonja Zekri

» To the complete press review of Wednesday, October 8, 2008