Publication: EU Concerns in Estonia and Latvia: Implications of Enlargement for Russia's Behaviour Towards the Russian-speaking Minorities
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Subject: Publication: EU Concerns in Estonia and Latvia: Implications of Enlargement for Russia's Behaviour Towards the Russian-speaking Minorities
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Publication: EU Concerns in Estonia and Latvia: Implications of
Enlargement for Russia's Behaviour Towards the Russian-speaking
Minorities
European University Institute, Florence
Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies
EU Concerns in Estonia and Latvia: Implications of Enlargement for
Russia's Behaviour Towards the Russian-speaking Minorities
Jekaterina Dorodnova
EUI Working Paper RSC No. 2000/40
Badia Fiesolana, San Romenico (FI)
CONTENTS
Introduction
1. EU involvement with minority issues in Estonia and Latvia:
considerations of democracy and human rights
2. The security dimension of EU interference with minority issues in
Estonia and Latvia: the concern over Russia's behaviour in case of
enlargement
3. The Baltic-Russian antagonism: the dynamics of the tension
3.1. The triadic interplay
3.2. The international dimension of Russian involvement with
minorities in Estonia and Latvia
4. Possible implications of EU enlargement for Russia's behaviour
towards the Russian-speaking minorities in Estonia and Latvia
INTRODUCTION
In view of the Baltic countries' anticipated accession to the European
Union (EU), the present study attempts to highlight the reasons for
the EU's involvement with the problems of the Russian-speaking'
minorities in Estonia and Latvia. It analyses the frequently expressed
concern of Western observers over the possible deterioration of
Estonian-Russian, Latvian-Russian, and consequently, EU-Russian
relations in the case of EU enlargement to the Baltic states
considering the controversial Estonian and Latvian policies towards
their Russian-speakers and Russia's harsh reactions to them. The
fundamental questions to be answered in this work are the following:
why does the European Union actively condition the membership of
Estonia and Latvia in the EU upon the integration of the
Russian-speaking minorities into Estonian and Latvian societies? What
implications will the EU's enlargement into Estonia and Latvia have
upon Russia's behaviour towards the Russian-speaking minorities
residing there?
The study consists of four sections. Section one generally outlines
the EU and the overall international interference with the issues
related to the position of the Russian-speaking minorities in Estonia
and Latvia and establishes the main concerns of the international
community in this area. The paper proceeds to examine the geopolitical
dimension of the continuing EU involvement with the issue of
minorities in the two countries; namely, the concern for the suspected
Russia's aspirations to use the Russian-speakers for exercising
pressure on Estonia and Latvia, thus threatening the security of the
enlarged Union. Section three provides an overview of the evolution of
the confrontational Estonian and Latvian relations with Russia in
order to establish the reasons behind the stances held by the actors
in the dispute and examine the degree of potential danger behind
Russia's rhetoric concerning the Russian- speakers. Finally, section
four attempts to outline the implications of the EU's enlargement into
Estonia and Latvia upon Russia's behaviour towards the
Russian-speaking minorities in those countries through analysing the
possible measures of pressure from the Russian side and the
probability of public support for possible attempts by Russia to
regain influence in the Baltics, using the Russian-speaking minorities
to project its interests.
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Tile Robert Schuman Centre was set up by the High Council of the EUI
in 1993 to carry out disciplinary and interdisciplinary research in
the areas of European integration and public policy in Europe.
Research publications take the form of Working Papers, Policy Papers
and books. Most of the Working Papers and Policy Papers are also
available on the website of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced
Studies: http://www.iue.it/RSC/ PublicationsRSC-Welcorne.htm. In 1999,
the Centre merged with the European Forum to become the Robert Schuman
Centre for Advanced Studies.
Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies
Programme on Eastern Europe
The Working Paper series
The Robert Schuman Centre's Programme on Eastern Europe promotes the
development of interdisciplinary research focusing on Central and
Eastern Europe. Challenges, opportunities and dilemmas confronting the
European Union in its relations with Central and Eastern Europe are at
the centre of attention. The scope and style of papers in the series
is varied, however, two areas of research have been prioritized:
l/ The EU Enlargement Eastward: Utility, Visibility, Implications
2/ Democratic Consolidation in Central and Eastern Europe Visitors
invited to the Institute under the auspices of the Centre's Programme,
as well as researchers at the Institute, are eligible to contribute.
This paper was written for a meeting of the Reflection Group on the
Long-Term Implications of Eastward Enlargement of the European Union:
the Nature of the New Border, set up jointly by the Robert Schuman
Centre and the Forward Studies Unit of the European Commission, and
chaired by Professor Gluliano Amato. The European University Institute
and the Robert Schuman Centre are not responsible for the proposals
and opinions expressed by the author. For information on this and
other projects on Eastern Europe at the Robert Schuman Centre, please
contact Professor Jan Zielonka ([email protected]).
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