Main focus of Thursday, August 23, 2007

Russia interferes in the race for the IMF

Russia has surprised everyone by supporting Josef Tosovsky, former governor of the Czech Republic's central bank, to head the International Monetary Fund. Yet the Czech Republic is backing the candidacy of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, nominated by the EU. The press tries to understand the political motives behind the Russians' ploy.

Neue Zürcher Zeitung - Switzerland

Prague correspondent Ulrich Schmid comments on the most recent tensions between Russia and the Czech Republic. "Warsaw ... won't let Russia get away with anything, and it seems that Moscow has finally understood this. Now the Kremlin is trying its luck with the Czechs... But not only are the Kremlin power players dividing [the EU], they're also causing confusion - or at least they're trying to [with their nomination of Josef Tosovsky as IMF boss]. However, if the Russians had thought this would win them points with the Czechs and give them another lever in their battle against the American missile defence system, they were sorely disappointed. The Czech government lost no time in announcing that it supports Brussels' candidate, Dominique Strauss-Kahn." (23/08/2007)

» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU enlargement, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » History, » Czech Republic, » Russia, » Europe
All available articles from » Ulrich Schmid

Lidové noviny - Czech Republic

Russian political scientist Dmitrij Oreskin attempts to explain in an interview the Russian's decision to nominate Josef Tosovsky to head the International Monetary Fund: "This is one of the Russian establishment's PR campaigns, aimed above all at showing the Russian nation how big and important the Kremlin is. It would be embarrassing for Russia if it nominated a Russian candidate and then he or she wasn't appointed. That's why they chose a Czech. If he fails it won't hurt us. We Russians would accept the defeat and Putin's popularity wouldn't suffer at all." (23/08/2007)

» full article (external link, Czech)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Fiscal Policy, » Tax Policy, » Czech Republic, » Russia, » Global
All available articles from » Dmitrij Oreskin

taz - Germany

Andreas Zumach is all for "open competition for appointments to international positions" but is mystified by the Russian government's decision to nominate Tosovsky as candidate. "Does Moscow really believe that, despite all his professional qualifications, Tosovsky has even the slightest chance of winning the election by 185 IMF states, particularly given that the Czech government doesn't support his candidacy ?... Nonetheless, Tosovsky's candidacy could encourage men or women from other southern countries who have the necessary qualifications and are interested in the IMF position - for example South Africa's Finance Minister Trevor Manuel - to run for the post. Only then would there be a chance of ending the conspiracy between Brussels and Washington which has ensured that so far the position of head of the IMF has always gone to an EU candidate and the position of president of the World Bank has always gone to the US." (23/08/2007)

» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Fiscal Policy, » Tax Policy, » Czech Republic, » Russia, » Global
All available articles from » Andreas Zumach

Sme - Slovakia

On August 21 during negotiations in Moscow Russia once again warned the Czech Republic not to allow the US to set up a radar station on Czech soil as part of its controversial missile defence system. Peter Schutz is indignant about Russia's conduct: "Moscow's unrelenting pressure is an alarming indication that the imperialist 'doctrine of the limited sovereignty of the satellite states', which led to the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, did not die with Brezhnev. Russia may feel threatened by the anti-missile system, but if it respected the Czech Republic and Poland as sovereign states it wouldn't be making these threats. Putin apologised to Czech President Vaclav Klaus for the 1968 invasion. If this gesture had been meant seriously he would allow the Czech Republic to freely make its own decision about its own security. However, as August 21 proves, Russia's behaviour is no different from that of the Soviet Union: arrogant, unscrupulous and without respect for others." (23/08/2007)

» full article (external link, Slovak)
More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Poland, » Czech Republic, » Russia
All available articles from » Peter Schutz

» To the complete press review of Thursday, August 23, 2007