Foreign Correspondent Inside Track On World News By International Syndicated Columnist & Broadcaster Eric Margolis ,,ggddY"""Ybbgg,, ,agd888b,_ "Y8, ___`""Ybga, ,gdP""88888888baa,.""8b "888g, ,dP" ]888888888P' "Y `888Yb, ,dP" ,88888888P" db, "8P""Yb, ,8" ,888888888b, d8888a "8, ,8' d88888888888,88P"' a, `8, ,8' 88888888888888PP" "" `8, d' I88888888888P" `b 8 `8"88P""Y8P' 8 8 Y 8[ _ " 8 8 "Y8d8b "Y a 8 8 `""8d, __ 8 Y, `"8bd888b, ,P `8, ,d8888888baaa ,8' `8, 888888888888' ,8' `8a "8888888888I a8' `Yba `Y8888888P' adP' "Yba `888888P' adY" `"Yba, d8888P" ,adP"' `"Y8baa, ,d888P,ad8P"' ``""YYba8888P""'' THE MYSTERIOUS MR PRIMAKOV by Eric Margolis 11 jan 96 On Tuesday, after daring Chechen rebels staged another spectacular raid, Boris Yeltsin delivered a televised public scolding to his most powerful ministers. `How did this happen,' hectored Yeltsin, `Who permitted this outrage?' None of the ministers replied. Heads down, they busily studied their notes. The spectacle of Russia's `power ministers' being dressed down on TV by Yeltsin like truant school boys was well beyond bizarre. In fact, it sharply reminded me of a film I once saw of one of Idi Amin's crazy cabinet meetings. `Most important thing in Uganda,' says Amin, `is love your leader.' The ministers take notes furiously. `Number two most important thing: Love your leader!' Amin smiles. `Number three. Be on time!' The ministers scribble frantically. Amin beams. His ministers sweat in fear and squirm, The Kremlin, lurching from one crisis to the next, alternates between drunken brutishness - as in Chechenya - and low Slavic farce. One wonders nervously, is the same shaky hand that holds the vodka bottle also on Russia's nuclear trigger? The magnificent Chechen fighters struck again during Orthodox Christmas. Their raid in Daghestan shook Russia and forced the world to open its eyes to Moscow's genocidal attempts to crush Chechen independence. It also put Yeltsin on the spot: his plans to run for re-election next year may founder on the crags of Chechnya. Ominously for the west, this week Yeltsin named Yevgeny Primakov as Russia's new Foreign Minister. Primakov replaces the amiable Andrei Kozyrev, who was reviled by most Russians as weak, dithering and shamelessly pro-western. No one will accuse Primakov of such vices. This column has watched and admired Primakov for years. Though not well known in the west, Primakov is one of the most talented, wily and intelligent members of Russia's elite. Reportedly of Jewish background, he began his career in the 1960's as a Mideast correspondent for Pravda- a standard cover for KGB agents. Primakov, who speaks fluent Arabic and English, quickly rose to prominence. As head of Moscow's Institute of Oriental Studies, a KGB offshoot, he came to the attention of Mikhail Gorbachev. Primakov became Gorbachev's main Mideast troubleshooter, outfoxing some of the region's wiliest foxes, respected by friend and foe. This column believes Primakov negotiated a secret deal between President Bush and Saddam Hussein just before Desert Storm was launched in 1991. Iraqi was allowed to pull its main force troops out of Kuwait before the US- led ground offensive began. Bush was able to claimed a great military victory with almost no casualties. Saddam remained in power, thanks to help from Primakov. When Yeltsin elbowed Gorbachev aside, Primakov, though a dedicated communist, effortlessly aligned himself with Yeltsin. In 1991, Primakov was named head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, the KGB's renamed First Chief Directorate. Now, he becomes foreign minister at a when Russia's external affairs are a mess. Expect Primakov to: 1.revitalize the Foreign Ministry; 2. adopt a far less cooperative policy with the west; 3. try to keep East Europe and the Balkans in Moscow's sphere of influence; 4. reassert Russian influence in the Mideast, particularly Syria, Iraq and Iran; 5. push a harder line in the Caucasus and Central Asia; 6. back Serbia. As Foreign Minister, Primakov is likely to lead Russia in pressing its great power geopolitical interests, which have taken a back seat in recent years. He will also accelerate efforts to reassemble the major portion of the old Soviet Union, while keeping its remaining breakaway parts, like Ukraine and the Baltic states, firmly within Moscow's footprint. Priority number one, remains keeping East Europe out of NATO. So, no more Mr Nice Guy at the Foreign Ministry. No more kow-towing to the west. Yevgeny Primakov is going to put Russia's foreign affairs back on track and remind Russians - and the world -that Moscow remains `the Third Rome.' copyright Eric Margolis january 1996 *************************************************** --------------------------------------------------------------- To receive Foreign Correspondent via email send a note to Majordomo@lglobal.com with the message in the body: subscribe foreignc To get off the list, send to the same address but write: unsubscribe foreignc Back Issues can be obtained from: ftp.lglobal.com/pub/foreignc For Syndication Information please contact: Email: emargolis@lglobal.com FAX: (416) 960-4803 Smail: Eric Margolis c/o Editorial Department The Toronto Sun 333 King St. East Toronto Ontario Canada M5A 3X5 ---------------------------------------------------------------