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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vassili_Kononov Information
SECTION SPONSORED BY ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA, RUSSIA
and documents on Kononov v Latvia case DISTRIBUTED WITH THE DAILY TELEGRAPH TUESDAY_DECEMBER 22_2009 Politics
Environment The Kremlin stresses the need for coordinated action to curb carbon dioxide emissions
Medvedev sets the climate at Copenhagen
tinued, recognising the inter- gas emissions in 2008–2012 to a
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
ests of developing countries. level no higher than that of
On the eve of his trip to Copen- “We are now taking an active 1990. Even so, according to
hagen, President Dmitry part in the drawing up of a new ecologists’ data, as a result of
Medvedev spoke on his vide- agreement on a climate regime the economic recession emis-
oblog about the question of cli- for the so-called ‘post-Kyoto’ sions have never reached that
mate change, emphasising Mos- period, the period after 2012,” level in Russia’s recent history.
cow’s fi rm position on the need the president said later, at a Russia’s emissions grew be-
for joint action by the world’s conference on the development tween 2000 and 2007, but in-
major powers. He said that in- of power engineering. “Even if commensurably more slowly
ternational co-operation on the talk about the climate and than its GDP – by just 1pc per
this issue is essential, and that the global changes taking place year (on 1990’s level) – and be-
all commitments should be in the environment is not con- fore the crisis they had reached
taken on by the biggest emitters fi rmed, as a minimum we shall 66pc of the 1990 base level, said
of greenhouse gases – the USA, lose nothing, because we shall WWF Russia. Greenpeace
Russia, China, India and Brazil engage in energy efficiency and agrees that the target of “reduc-
– at the same time, otherwise ing emissions” by 25pc actually
they would be meaningless. “I means a growth in emissions.
would especially like to stress ‘Russia is ready Ecologists nevertheless believe
this: these should be commit-
to… push ahead with
that the plans that have been
ments that we make at the same
the ideas of the post-
announced with regard to the
time and that we keep together.
Kyoto period, but on a
rise in emissions can only be
If our efforts are uncoordinated welcomed. “Growth of up to
they will be ineffective and number of conditions’ 75pc means that, thanks to en- ATTILA KISBENEDEK_AFP
meaningless. This issue is essen- ergy efficiency and energy sav- It’s unclear if the world will find consensus on climate change after the summit
tial, and I say again, we need to ing measures, the trend will be
get to grips with all this togeth- have a certain effect on improv- maintained and strengthened,”
er,” said Mr Medvedev. ing the surrounding world,” said a WWF statement. Alexei Kokorin, head of WWF’s tion. He recalls that the main sia is ready to support Den-
“[However], the commitments said Mr Medvedev.“But if, God “In terms of the ‘percentage’ for climate programme. opponents of restrictions are mark’s efforts to push ahead
must be consistent with our forbid, what the scientists are 2020, we are actually the leader “Medvedev is trying to position the USA and China, which have with the post-Kyoto ideas, but
economic potential and, very currently saying turns out to be among the major countries. But Russia so that on the one hand not signed the Kyoto protocol: on a number of conditions: fi rst,
importantly, each country’s de- true in one way or another, it it’s not just a matter of the per- he can show that it is aiming for production in these countries is the world’s major economies
velopment priorities. We under- still defi nitely follows that that centage – what’s more impor- modernisation and vote for a so highly developed that re- must sign up to the document;
stand that young industrial is what we have to do. So that tant is to stop the growth in new agreement, while at the strictions would be disastrous and, second, that greater ac-
economies will have a greater means we win either way.” emissions and to start to reduce same time not damaging rela- for their economies. count is taken of the potential
requirement for energy resourc- The commitments that Russia them. That’s what will show tions with its strategic partners, Earlier, at a meeting with Dan- for Russia’s forests to absorb
es than the post-industrial has made in accordance with whether Russia is developing primarily China,” explained ish premier Lars Lokke Ras- carbon dioxide. In Mr Putin’s
powers that have already devel- the Kyoto protocol envisage on the basis of new systems Alexei Mukhin, head of the mussen, prime minister view, the Kyoto protocol under-
oped their economies,” he con- only a reduction of greenhouse rather than the old ones,” said Centre for Political Informa- Vladimir Putin stated that Rus- estimated Russia’s forests.
-
History Memories of the past as a political weapon
war crimes. Second, war crimi- the fate of some 300,000 Jews
nals can only be found among from all over Europe who were
Ex-Soviet partisan Vasily Kononov
an occupying army, not a liber- murdered on its territory will
ating one. According to the also arise. The murders were
commonly held interpretation carried out mostly by Latvian
fights his last battle
of WWII, Soviet units liberated subunits – for example, by the
Latvia from Nazi occupiers and SS-Sonderkommando led by
their collaborators. Victor Arajs. These victims are
The Latvian government has also sure to demand monetary
Vasily Kononov is surrounded by Baty in a surprise attack. Ac- maintained that the Soviets compensation from Latvian
his family in an apartment cording to Latvian authorities, were occupiers on the same authorities.
outside Riga. His daughter by his the partisans killed nine villag- level as the Third Reich, a point Should Europe's highest court
side, this 87-year-old WWII ers. Latvian prosecutors of view that contradicts the re- set a precedent in favour of the
veteran maintains a sense of deemed this operation a war sults of the international mili- Latvian government, almost
humour despite the many crime because two women were tary tribunal at Nuremberg, any surviving resistance fi ghter
tragedies he has experienced. among those killed. Five of the which decided who was a “war in Europe unlucky enough to
The European Court of Human villagers had been shot and four criminal” and “occupier” fol- have killed a Hitlerite or his ac-
Rights is to rule on an event that had been burned alive. lowing the war. complice could be put on trial.
happened in 1944, with Since 1998 Vasily Kononov has The Moscow Mayor's office has It will also have repercussions
potential repercussions for all been tried six times and has thrown its weight – both fi nan- for Latvia's Russian minority,
veterans across European. spent nearly two years behind cially and politically – behind which has accused the authori-
VIKTOR LISITSYN_ITAR-TASS bars. The accusations range Kononov. "We were not indiffer- ties of mistreatment in several
YURI VASILIEV
Vasily Kononov maintains an active lifystyle despite his age from genocide to thuggery. ent to Mr Kononov's fate from previous cases that have
SPECIAL TO RUSSIA NOW Kononov was eventually re- the beginning," Mayor Yuri reached the court. Finally, such
leased and the European Court Luzhkov told a Russian Nation a ruling could contribute to the
In June 1943, a 21-year-old Vas- going three operations after the village of Malye Baty. The owner of Human Rights (ECHR) found Congress earlier this month. already deep divide in Europe
ily Kononov was parachuted war. He was highly decorated of the shed where they slept in- that the criminal prosecution of "This case carries a provoca- over the Soviet Union's role in
into German-occupied territo- for his service, and later joined formed local authorities, and the the former partisan was unau- tional and political character WWII, emphasised by the Eu-
ry in Latvia. As a member of the the Latvian police force, retir- following morning it was sur- thorised. The Latvian govern- and is part of a dirty campaign ropean Parliament recently
1st Latvian Partisan Brigade, ing at the rank of colonel. rounded by Germans and ment, however, appealed. The to discredit a war veteran." equating Soviet Stalinism with
Kononov proved to be one of its Kononov lived quietly until 1998 burned to the ground. Everyone case is now being reviewed by Kononov’s conviction as a war German Nazism.
best demolition men. By 1944 when, following the fall of the inside perished. the Grand Chamber of the criminal could provide and ex- Fate would bring Vasily Konon-
he was in charge of an entire Soviet Union, he was indicted by At the time, Nazi collaborators ECHR. cellent opportunity to legiti- ov to fi ght his last battle not in
unit, personally destroying 14 Latvian prosecutors for an epi- in Eastern Europe were dealt At least two aspects of interna- mise the USSR’s status as an 1945 on the Eastern Front of
echelons carrying troops and sode that had taken place in with harshly. A partisan tribu- tional law weigh in favour of occupying force and allow WWII, but more than 60 years
equipment. Kononov twice suf- 1944 in Nazi-occupied Latvia. nal sentenced the perpetrators the veteran. First, only mem- Latvia to demand monetary later in Strasbourg. Just like in
fered shell-shock and was Twelve scouts from a partisan to death, and, on May 27, 1944 bers of a regular army – not a compensation. the past, all of Europe antici-
wounded several times, under- unit had stopped to rest in the Kononov’s unit seized Malye partisan group – can be tried for However, should this happen, pates its conclusion.
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