NEWS
Canada PM blasts Russia's 'Soviet' mentality
2008/08/14
OTTAWA (AFP) -
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Thursday
denounced Russia for its military action in
Georgia, saying Moscow was trying to control
nations outside its borders and showing a "Soviet"
mentality.
"I must tell you that I am deeply troubled by a notion I see developing in Russia and that is a notion that Russia somehow has a say or some control over countries outside of its borders," Harper told reporters.
"In my judgement, this is a very worrisome development. It really indicates a Soviet-era mentality," he added.
"And I think it is something that all democratic countries should speak out strongly against and I hope Russia will reconsider its actions."
Harper reiterated his call for a halt to the fighting as he condemned Russia's incursions into Georgian territory, including the breakaway territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
"Obviously we've called on both sides to cease the fighting and I gather a ceasefire now appears to be taking hold, but we do call on Russia to respect the territorial integrity of Georgia."
Canada announced on Tuesday it would send about one million dollars in aid to the people affected by the conflict which has displaced around 100,000 people.
"I must tell you that I am deeply troubled by a notion I see developing in Russia and that is a notion that Russia somehow has a say or some control over countries outside of its borders," Harper told reporters.
"In my judgement, this is a very worrisome development. It really indicates a Soviet-era mentality," he added.
"And I think it is something that all democratic countries should speak out strongly against and I hope Russia will reconsider its actions."
Harper reiterated his call for a halt to the fighting as he condemned Russia's incursions into Georgian territory, including the breakaway territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
"Obviously we've called on both sides to cease the fighting and I gather a ceasefire now appears to be taking hold, but we do call on Russia to respect the territorial integrity of Georgia."
Canada announced on Tuesday it would send about one million dollars in aid to the people affected by the conflict which has displaced around 100,000 people.
Baltic American Freedom League Strongly Condemns Russian Attack on Georgia
2008/08/13
August 11, 2008
The Baltic American Freedom League (BAFL) believes that the Russian attack on Georgia is an aggressive attempt of Russian imperialist expansionism and that Georgia deserves the support of the United States of America and NATO. Georgia has bravely struggled to establish itself as a sovereign and independent country since 1990, when it declared independence from the Soviet Union. Moreover, Georgia has been a staunch ally of the U.S., is a large contributor of coalition troops in Iraq, and seeks to join NATO.
A Russian occupation of South Ossetia would be an enormous setback for Georgia and would be threatening to the other former ex-captive nations. We are very concerned that the occupation of South Ossetia by Russia may encourage further acts of aggression by Russia on Georgia in Abkhazia. The Baltics and other neighboring countries who have Russian citizens living in their midst are further threatened as Russia attempts to not only expand its sphere of influence in the region, but actively seeks to occupy new territories.
We urge the U.S. to support Georgia and immediately issue sanctions against Russia, boycott Russian goods, and issue a warning for U. S. citizens not to travel to Russia during this turbulent time.
The Baltic American Freedom League (BAFL) believes that the Russian attack on Georgia is an aggressive attempt of Russian imperialist expansionism and that Georgia deserves the support of the United States of America and NATO. Georgia has bravely struggled to establish itself as a sovereign and independent country since 1990, when it declared independence from the Soviet Union. Moreover, Georgia has been a staunch ally of the U.S., is a large contributor of coalition troops in Iraq, and seeks to join NATO.
A Russian occupation of South Ossetia would be an enormous setback for Georgia and would be threatening to the other former ex-captive nations. We are very concerned that the occupation of South Ossetia by Russia may encourage further acts of aggression by Russia on Georgia in Abkhazia. The Baltics and other neighboring countries who have Russian citizens living in their midst are further threatened as Russia attempts to not only expand its sphere of influence in the region, but actively seeks to occupy new territories.
We urge the U.S. to support Georgia and immediately issue sanctions against Russia, boycott Russian goods, and issue a warning for U. S. citizens not to travel to Russia during this turbulent time.
STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER HARPER ON CONFLICT IN GEORGIA
2008/08/11
STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER HARPER ON CONFLICT IN
GEORGIA
August 11, 2008 - Ottawa, Ontario
In a statement released today, Prime Minister Harper condemned Russia’s incursions into Georgian territory far beyond South Ossetia, including into already tense Abkhazia.
"Russian and Georgian forces must immediately cease hostilities throughout Georgia and return to their August 6 positions,” he said. "Furthermore, in escalating the conflict through its attacks on Georgian towns and cities outside South Ossetia, Russia has ceased to act as a peacekeeper. It is imperative that Russia respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia."
Prime Minister Harper added that “Military force will not resolve this dispute. The only viable long-term solution is international mediation and peacekeeping."
Prime Minister Harper added that Canada is working with its international partners to bring this conflict to a close as quickly as possible. He also stated that Canada stands ready to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the conflict. The first priority for all sides must be to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians, and facilitate full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to assist those in need.
August 11, 2008 - Ottawa, Ontario
In a statement released today, Prime Minister Harper condemned Russia’s incursions into Georgian territory far beyond South Ossetia, including into already tense Abkhazia.
"Russian and Georgian forces must immediately cease hostilities throughout Georgia and return to their August 6 positions,” he said. "Furthermore, in escalating the conflict through its attacks on Georgian towns and cities outside South Ossetia, Russia has ceased to act as a peacekeeper. It is imperative that Russia respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia."
Prime Minister Harper added that “Military force will not resolve this dispute. The only viable long-term solution is international mediation and peacekeeping."
Prime Minister Harper added that Canada is working with its international partners to bring this conflict to a close as quickly as possible. He also stated that Canada stands ready to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the conflict. The first priority for all sides must be to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians, and facilitate full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to assist those in need.
Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism
2008/06/09
Press release by Jana
Hybášková,
Member of the European Parliament (EPP- ED) and
Martin Mejstřík, Senator, Parliament of the Czech Republic (indep.)
PRAGUE DECLARATION on European Conscience and Communism
Prague, June 9, 2008
On Friday June 6, Senator Martin Mejstřík and Jana Hybášková, Member of the European Parliament, presented the English and Czech versions of the Prague Declaration adopted by the international conference „European Conscience and Communism" held on June 2-3, 2008 in the Senate, Parliament of the Czech Republic. The conference was hosted by the Committee on Education, Science, Culture, Human Rights and Petitions of the Senate, under the auspices of Mr Alexandr Vondra, Deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Republic for European Affairs.
The Conference received letters of support from President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, from Lady Margaret Thatcher, from Jason Kenney, Canadian Secretary of State and from Zbigniew Brzezinski, national security advisor to former US- President Jimmy Carter (enclosed).
In its preamble, the Prague declaration states the urgent need to come to terms with the communist ideology and with past and present communist regimes on a European and international scale. It stipulates i.a. that the Communist ideology is directly responsible for crimes against humanity, that there are substantial similarities between Nazism and Communism, that many perpetrators of Communist crimes have not been brought to justice yet, that many Communist parties have not apologized for Communist crimes and that millions of victims of Communism are entitled to the same recognition enjoyed by the victims of Nazism. It also stresses that one fifth of mankind still suffers under hard living conditions imposed by different Communist dictatorships.
The Prague Declaration, which is addressed to all nations of Europe, all European political institutions including national governments, parliaments, the European Parliament, the European Commission, the Council of Europe and other relevant international bodies, formulates nineteen demands.
Ranking among the most important are:
- a call for the acceptance of pan-European responsibility for crimes committed by Communism,
- a call for a legislative recognition of Communist crimes as crimes against humanity, on national level and on a European level
- a call for the establishment of 23rd August, the day of signing of the Hitler-Stalin Pact, known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, as a day of remembrance of the victims of both Nazi and Communist totalitarian regimes, in the same way Europe remembers the victims of the Holocaust on January 27th,
- a call for an effective public debate about the commercial and political misuse of Communist symbols,
- a call for continuation of the European Commission hearings regarding victims of totalitarian regimes,
- a call for organising of an international conference on the crimes committed by totalitarian Communist regimes with the participation of representatives of governments and other key stakeholders
- a call for the establishment of an Institute of European Memory and Conscience a pan-European museum/memorial of victims of all totalitarian regimes,
- a call for an overhaul of European history textbooks so that children can learn about Communism and its crimes in the same way as about the Nazi crimes
- a call for a joint commemoration of next year's 20th anniversaries of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the massacre in Tiananmen Square,
The PRAGUE DECLARATION was signed by:
Václav Havel, Joachim Gauck, Lee Edwards, Vytautas Landsbergis, Göran Lindblad, Tunne Kelam, Christopher Beazley, Emanuelis Zingeris, Ivonka Survilla, Tseten Samdup Chhoekyapa, Jana Hybášková, Jiří Liška, Martin Mejstřík, Jaromír Štětina, Pavel Žáček, Eduard Stehlík and others.
Member of the European Parliament (EPP- ED) and
Martin Mejstřík, Senator, Parliament of the Czech Republic (indep.)
PRAGUE DECLARATION on European Conscience and Communism
Prague, June 9, 2008
On Friday June 6, Senator Martin Mejstřík and Jana Hybášková, Member of the European Parliament, presented the English and Czech versions of the Prague Declaration adopted by the international conference „European Conscience and Communism" held on June 2-3, 2008 in the Senate, Parliament of the Czech Republic. The conference was hosted by the Committee on Education, Science, Culture, Human Rights and Petitions of the Senate, under the auspices of Mr Alexandr Vondra, Deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Republic for European Affairs.
The Conference received letters of support from President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, from Lady Margaret Thatcher, from Jason Kenney, Canadian Secretary of State and from Zbigniew Brzezinski, national security advisor to former US- President Jimmy Carter (enclosed).
In its preamble, the Prague declaration states the urgent need to come to terms with the communist ideology and with past and present communist regimes on a European and international scale. It stipulates i.a. that the Communist ideology is directly responsible for crimes against humanity, that there are substantial similarities between Nazism and Communism, that many perpetrators of Communist crimes have not been brought to justice yet, that many Communist parties have not apologized for Communist crimes and that millions of victims of Communism are entitled to the same recognition enjoyed by the victims of Nazism. It also stresses that one fifth of mankind still suffers under hard living conditions imposed by different Communist dictatorships.
The Prague Declaration, which is addressed to all nations of Europe, all European political institutions including national governments, parliaments, the European Parliament, the European Commission, the Council of Europe and other relevant international bodies, formulates nineteen demands.
Ranking among the most important are:
- a call for the acceptance of pan-European responsibility for crimes committed by Communism,
- a call for a legislative recognition of Communist crimes as crimes against humanity, on national level and on a European level
- a call for the establishment of 23rd August, the day of signing of the Hitler-Stalin Pact, known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, as a day of remembrance of the victims of both Nazi and Communist totalitarian regimes, in the same way Europe remembers the victims of the Holocaust on January 27th,
- a call for an effective public debate about the commercial and political misuse of Communist symbols,
- a call for continuation of the European Commission hearings regarding victims of totalitarian regimes,
- a call for organising of an international conference on the crimes committed by totalitarian Communist regimes with the participation of representatives of governments and other key stakeholders
- a call for the establishment of an Institute of European Memory and Conscience a pan-European museum/memorial of victims of all totalitarian regimes,
- a call for an overhaul of European history textbooks so that children can learn about Communism and its crimes in the same way as about the Nazi crimes
- a call for a joint commemoration of next year's 20th anniversaries of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the massacre in Tiananmen Square,
The PRAGUE DECLARATION was signed by:
Václav Havel, Joachim Gauck, Lee Edwards, Vytautas Landsbergis, Göran Lindblad, Tunne Kelam, Christopher Beazley, Emanuelis Zingeris, Ivonka Survilla, Tseten Samdup Chhoekyapa, Jana Hybášková, Jiří Liška, Martin Mejstřík, Jaromír Štětina, Pavel Žáček, Eduard Stehlík and others.
Gorbachev calls for purge museum
2008/06/05
The Soviet Union's last leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, has signed a
petition for a museum to commemorate the
millions of victims of communist repression.
Mr Gorbachev said the special museum should be set up inside what was one of the most notorious Soviet detention centres, the Butyrka prison in Moscow.
The petition's organisers, Memorial, said Russians today were in danger of forgetting the brutality of the past.
They also criticised the glorification of former leader Josef Stalin by some.
In 1937, Stalin launched his Great Purge, intensifying his campaign against anyone he saw as a threat to his regime. Those included political opponents, but also the army, the intelligentsia, members of the clergy and peasants.
Mr Gorbachev said the special museum should be set up inside what was one of the most notorious Soviet detention centres, the Butyrka prison in Moscow.
The petition's organisers, Memorial, said Russians today were in danger of forgetting the brutality of the past.
They also criticised the glorification of former leader Josef Stalin by some.
In 1937, Stalin launched his Great Purge, intensifying his campaign against anyone he saw as a threat to his regime. Those included political opponents, but also the army, the intelligentsia, members of the clergy and peasants.
The Soviet Story
2008/04/09
The Soviet Story to premiere April
9, 2008, at the European Parliament in Brussels.
Click link for more information.
Click link for more information.
Letters from Stalin's Russia
2008/03/30
Remarkably, the world knows little of these catastrophic events. Yet 463 letters, written from the prisons of the Gulag and from home villages arrived in a tiny town in the Canadian prairies. These letters verify a subversive network of mail delivery during one of the most horrific eras in human history. Written by Russian Mennonites, the letters confirm the strength of the human spirit in the bleakest circumstances. http://www.gulagletters.com/
History Shows Joe McCarthy's Reputation is Undeserved
2008/01/29
From Townhall.com
"Stanton Evans, journalism professor and board member of the American Conservative Union, has performed a similar transformation for the most reviled American in modern U.S. history, Sen. Joseph McCarthy.
Evans' 663-page work, "Blacklisted by History: The Untold Story of Senator Joe McCarthy and His Fight Against America's Enemies" (Crown Forum, $29.95), is the result of six years of reading primary sources. Evans proves that almost everything about McCarthy in current history books is a lie and will have to be revised".
"Stanton Evans, journalism professor and board member of the American Conservative Union, has performed a similar transformation for the most reviled American in modern U.S. history, Sen. Joseph McCarthy.
Evans' 663-page work, "Blacklisted by History: The Untold Story of Senator Joe McCarthy and His Fight Against America's Enemies" (Crown Forum, $29.95), is the result of six years of reading primary sources. Evans proves that almost everything about McCarthy in current history books is a lie and will have to be revised".
"The truth never caresses, it always stings!" H.L. Mencken